Two Coins
by Zaxarus
Summary: Is one Spectre alone really enough to stop Saren? Now Shepard gets help from a second Spectre. Or will he be more of an obstacle? Follow the adventures of Logan Shepard and Rory Udina through the adventures of ME1. Sequel is up (We are family.) Warning: Pairings only start in this story, no "happy ending". Shepard/Ashley only "Friends with Benefits", Tali/Rory sibling relationship.
1. Chapter 1 An unwelcome Guest

**Notes:**

**This is my first try to write a mass effect story. I'll try to not use too much military jargon as I saw in other ME-stories and I hope I don't screw up to much.**

**An unwelcome Guest**

_Normandy - CIC, docking bay D24 of the citadel_

The quiet in the CIC was nearly complete, the light scaled down to a dim. Only from time to time the footsteps of Navigator Pressly could be heard, every time he walked the metallic grids of the gangway to another working station to make a few tests. With Captain Anderson gone to meet Ambassador Udina and Admiral Hacket and most of their maintenance work done since days, Pressly had allowed his men a few hours of rest on the citadel to prepare for the next voyage. Soon enough they would leave the citadel again and God alone knew when they would have the chance again to drink something better than synth.

Like most members of the crew Charles Pressly had been handpicked by Anderson to be his Navigation Officer and he would never allow the slightest error to occur in his part of the ship. Officially he was the third highest officer onboard after the Captain and Staff Commander Logan Shepard and responsible for all women and men that helped the pilot to make the Normandy fly like a hawk in mountain air as she was meant to be.

But all too often the Captain had to do some political work with Ambassador Udina, some turian politician or other representatives. Logan – in spite of being a very competent military officer in Pressly's opinion – surely was not the most patient in respect of day-to-day-work. More than once it was Pressly's duty to coordinate the daily routines on the Normandy, to make sure that all went smoothly. And he liked it exactly this way and felt proud that he was good in his job.

"You're guests are incoming, Charley." Pressly looked up from his workstation and quitted the information with a low grunt. Only a few men onboard would dare to take the liberty to call him 'Charley' – neither Anderson nor Shepard belonging to this circle – but Joker was a very special case.

Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau would be the correct address, but Pressly couldn't remember anyone call him other than simply Joker. His mix of bravado and unparalleled skill in the cockpit added to his frail health situation allowed him a leeway most officers could only dream of. Sometimes he felt sorrow about Moreau's health but on other days he was sure that somehow Joker got more than his bit of poise out of the fact that he was one of the best pilots of the navy in spite of his glass bones.

Pressly activated the comm. "Lieutenant Kaidan, here's Pressly. Our guests are arriving. Show them their rooms and see if the Turian needs anything. And I want to see Lieutenant Commander Udina instantly." He had not to activate the monitor to see the expression on Kaidan's face, the same surely enhanced on Joker's.

_Commander Udina on board of the Normandy, what have we done to deserve this_? Captain Anderson hadn't given any explanation as he ordered to prepare rooms for the turian Spectre and the Alliance Officer. Pressly – as all officers of the Normandy – could only hope that his stay would be short.

The information he was able to gather in the short time since Anderson's announcement was very sparsely to Pressly's regret. Lieutenant Commander Rory Udina, born in Boston, Earth, on 19th of August in 2157 – so he was only 26 years old now, three years younger than Shepard. About his youth Pressly found nearly nothing apart from short stays on Gagarin Station and Grissom Academy, surely to train his biotic powers_. To be exact the information is far too sparsely for an officer from such a well-known family_. Added to this were studies at the MIT in electronics, focus in communications, finished with honors 'summa cum laude'. Pressly thought about reading Udina's dissertation later. But with such a graduation he should have been able to select his positions irregardless of his family.

Afterwards he absolved a few stations in the alliance fleet, mostly white-collar jobs, the last being logistic officer on an embassy in batarian space. Pressly had been long enough in the fleet to smell the taste of 'military intelligence' in this résumé. Either Commander Udina had been able to negate the benefits of his heritage and education to earn those uninteresting posts or he had been some kind of agent, most likely eavesdropping specialist. They would have to be very careful and look out for bugs in the future.

Biotics and technics, the same combination they had in Kaidan. Those both would become very good friends or the contrary, Pressly feared.

_Normandy - Airlock, docking bay D24 of the citadel_

He had to admit that he was nervous and didn't know what caused him more trouble. There was this turian Spectre. Never before had he been in close contact to one and as far as he had heard in the media this one named Nihlus Kryik was one of the best. And then he was accompanied by Commander Udina, some kind of nephew to Ambassador Udina as far as Kaidan knew. Surely he would tell his uncle all what he experienced onboard in no time.

The signal told him that the decontamination procedure had ended and the airlock was ready to be opened. _There's no reason to let them wait further_. With a sigh he punched the button and a loud hiss of air went with the opening.

Apart from his white facial features the Turian seemed very ordinary to him. An unadorned armored suit encased the frame which was of medium built for his race. He appeared to be athletic but not very muscled, not that Kaidan had really much experience with his race apart from those Turians that formed the bulk of C-Sec. "Greetings, Spectre Nihlus, welcome on board. I'm …"

"Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, chief of the marine detail of the Normandy. You'll see him in action often enough in the future, I suppose, Nihlus." Kaidan looked to the officer that interrupted him and took an instinct dislike. Gala uniform, the boots carefully polished, he had not a single spot on his whole outfit. Commander Udina was large, surely a handbreadth taller than Kaidan, but of slender built. Grey eyes stared intensely at Kaidan and a smirk played around the corners of his mouth. It didn't help in getting on Kaidan's good side that Udina wore his hair in some style that surely was of the latest fashion. Blond they were, shoulder-long on the right, very short-cut on the left apart from a single queue that fell from his left temple down to his shoulder, a small band set with tiny rubies holding the end together. With an affected move Udina put the queue behind his ear.

His salute was as exact as Kaidan had expected: "Lieutenant Commander Udina, permission to enter the Normandy?" Kaidan responded in kind but even with his normally pristine military behavior he felt odd and ungainly in Udina's presence: "Permission granted. The XO ordered me to show you your rooms. Please follow me." His answer was much more unfriendly than he had wanted to but now it was too late to change it.

In silence they completed the way to their quarters and Nihlus closed his door after negating Kaidan's answer about any wishes he could have now. "The XO wanted to see you as soon as possible, Commander Udina."

Udina nodded. "I'm on my way soon enough, but first I have to change. I've really enough of this uniform. My Uncle loves it and surely it is the best to wear around someone as Fleet Admiral Hacket but … gimme a minute." With a low smile he closed the door.

_Normandy - CIC, docking bay D24 of the citadel_

Kaidan hastened to get some distance between him and the two officers and slumped on the seat beside Joker. The pilot's broad smile he answered with a low growl. "That will be some painful days until they leave again. Especially that tin soldier."

Joker simply blinked. "So nerve-wracking he is? But I fear that you're a bit wrong." He gave no explanation and ignored Kaidan's look but switched a lever. Instantly the voices of Pressly and Udina filled the cockpit.

"Sorry, XO. I have no idea what's going on with him. We'll have to escort him somewhere and take care that his assignment goes smoothly, whatever it is." Udina's voice was very bland, not revealing any emotions or giving any hint if he was lying.

"And what will be your duty on this trip? Are you some kind of adjutant to him? I never heard of something like that especially for a human." Joker and Kaidan went very silent, eager to hear the answer.

Udina gave a short laugh. "Nothing like that. I was only ordered to escort him to the Normandy, haven't known Nihlus two hours ago. No, I'm here as your … reinforcement or something like that." Kaidan paled a bit. _He'll stay longer_? "I'm promoted to the Normandy as your new Communication and Science Officer."

"You picked a winner, I suppose." Kaidan could only glare at Joker, the pilot apparently unimpressed. "At least I won't have him escorting me down on planets. I really don't feel like to be the nanny of a white-collar officer. But perhaps I'm lucky and he tries to make a real soldier from you." Now it was Joker's part to growl. "He can surely try."


	2. Chapter 2 Party Mix

**Party Mix**

_Normandy – Comm Room, on the way to Eden Prime_

"With all due respect, I should be with the grounding team, Captain."

Rarely Shepard had heard someone go with the line 'with all due respect' and making it as obvious as Udina that he really meant 'kiss my asses'. And the tune of his voice certainly was not the only disturbing thing about the officer. The uniform he had changed into at a first glance was the same Anderson and Shepard wore, but I had been crafted from that special Asari stuff, breathable, touch-sensitive and all that. In his hand he held a Chinese-porcelain tea cup, the content alone costly enough to feed a family for a day.

'I'm rich and you're nothing', this massage was written all over the man. But to his own irritation Shepard heard himself agree. "He's right. I know nothing about some 'prothean beacon'. From the crew members – _had he really thought of Udina as a crew member_? – Udina is apparently the most likely one with at least some useful knowledge about it."

Udina shot an amused look at Shepard, the slight approval therein more fitting a kindergartner padding a child on his head for doing something right. And Logan Shepard surely wasn't a child to be played around. Even larger than Udina with shoulders that would made a Krogan proud he moved like the elite soldier he was, with some kind of grace and a barely-contained strength in his steps. The pitch-black hair was cut very short and the small beard around his mouth only accentuated the broad chin. His hands seemed to be crafted for breaking things and the horny skin around the knuckles was testimony of more than one bare-handed brawl.

But after a first look at his imposing stature it was his dark-brown eyes that fetched the attention of those around him. They seemed to be warm, caring and somehow telling you that he would give all to protect you. These eyes could make a frightened child believe without a word that this man meant no harm despite any weapon he'd may carry around.

"I already fetched the tiny bits of information Dr. Warren sent about the beacon. She is the leader of the scientific team that prepared the beacon to be moved off-planet. This beacon could easily one of the most important discoveries since the Charon Mass Portal." Udina took a sip of tea before he continued. "It is only too bad that we promised to share it with … others."

Anderson stared at Udina for a moment. "Humanity made many enemies around the other civilizations. Most of them see us as a kind of upstart children, achieving too much in a short time and still demanding more. This beacon and the knowledge within could better our standing."

"Sure, but fetching this knowledge for ourselves and holding it tight would be a better plan. Think about the Asari. Would you really expect they would do the same in our stead? Their high position is only thanks to their knowledge." After a moment he added: "and thanks to their biotics and their lifespan and their blue skin." Udina smirked, his hand rubbing his head where he could feel the contact of his brand new bio-amp.

He had not been able to fully test this new bio-amp, one of the famous L4 that were planned to be given to special biotics in the near future. Only with the help of a former colleague he had been able to lay his hands on these so early. The first test showed that they improved his already strong biotics by another 25 to 30 percent and that without disabling the security lock.

"You sound a bit jealous, Udina." Shepard remarked with a loop-sided grin.

"Jealous? Not really." Udina answered. "I only have enough of this condescending behavior the other races show us, especially the Asari and the Turians. And now we have in fact a turian Spectre on board to assess our performance." Shepard frowned and shot a quick glance at Anderson, the captain wincing for a split second.

"Oh, you haven't told him?" Udina's grin broadened. Shepard shortly felt the urge to punch Udina in his face, but more so he wanted to know what the damned bastard was speaking about.

"Nay, I haven't. I didn't know that you were informed already but with Ambassador Udina your uncle …" Anderson's words trailed away. Anew it was clearly visible that he was no real friend of the Ambassador. _But why has he agreed to get his nephew commissioned to the Normandy_, Shepard pondered?

Udina made a deterrent wave with his hand. "I didn't need to ask him. I have other … possibilities."

"Whatever," Anderson sighed, clearly unconvinced. "Shepard, this Spectre is on board to assess the performance of you and Udina. He'll accompany you both on the next missions and then report his findings."

Shepard looked irritated. "And to what end should he do that? Since when do we have to justify our actions …?"

"Has nothing to do with justifying. He is here because he put you on the list of possible Spectre aspirants. If his assessment is positive you'll be the first human Spectre."

_He put me on the list, but why? A turian put a human on the list; that was weird. And what about Udina,_ Shepard pondered?

"But only if you want too. It is a hell of a burden, certainly." Udina blinked at Shepard and took another sip of his tea. The commander seemed very composed in spite of the possible outcomes of this 'assessment'. _Doesn't he care about it, about becoming a Spectre_?

Shepard only frowned at him before he addressed Anderson anew. "You said that he is assessing the performance of me and Udina. So we're some kind of competitors in this?"

Before Anderson had a chance to answer, Udina interrupted anew. "The donkey calls himself always first. Oh, sorry, only an old idiom; has nothing to say. But to soothe your fears: we're not competitors. This whole thing could end with you or me a Spectre, both or none of us. Regarding the past events I would expect 'none' to be the outcome." Udina did nothing to explain what 'past events' he spoke about.

Shepard sniffed amused. "Why should I fear your competition?"

Udina not even blinked or smiled as he answered: "Because you're at least intelligent enough to distinguish your betters. It would be no real competition."

"Enough," Anderson stopped the discussion, drawing a low growl from Shepard. "So it is agreed: you'll both go down and fetch the beacon. You'll work together flawless. I don't want this to go awry because you two have to slug out some kind of whatever. Understood, gentlemen?"

"I have no problem with that," Udina stated while Shepard only nodded.

"Alright, prepare yourself. Shepard, you'll lead the team. You'll take Kaidan and Jenkins with you."

With that Anderson and Shepard left the comm room. Udina waited for a few moments before he sat down his cup and pressed a button. "Joker, back to work now, else I'll find some cleaning job for you. And tell Kaidan that I expect him at the electronic storage room in five." Without waiting for an answer Udina stopped the transmission and allowed himself a small smile.

_Normandy – Electronic Storage Room, on the way to Eden Prime_

As Kaidan entered the room exactly five minutes later he saw Udina inspecting the contents of a box on the table. Engineer Adams stood beside him with a bland face. A small smile crossed his lips as he thought about the moment Joker jumped nearly off his seat as Udina addressed him thru the comm. Joker simply felt to secure with his monitoring the whole ship, a bit startling could only be good for him.

"Ah, there you are, Kaidan. I wanted to speak about our equipment. As far as I saw you're still using the standard 81C radio sets." Udina gave Kaidan a moment to nod before he continued. "They're good and reliable but I think we could use something better." He pointed at the box. "These are Bronwill-482 radio sets, especially constructed for commando units. They have double circuits and special features to avert electronic countermeasures and eavesdropping. Please make secure that all team members have one of them. One set give to Nihlus for the instant that he wants to speak with us low humans."

Kaidan ignored the snappish remark and suppressed a frown. "Shouldn't we ask the Captain …?"

Udina glared at Kaidan. "I'm the Communication Officer on board of the Normandy. Don't you agree it would be my job to decide which radio sets should be used?" After a moment of hesitation Kaidan nodded. He had to admit that he was impressed that somehow Udina had been able to lay his hands on these brand new communicators, impressed and a bit disgusted. _Another point to the family bonds_, he thought.

"Good, then to another point." He showed Kaidan and Adams his Omni Tool. "I saw that you use Bluewire Tools as most alliance officers. Surely you have improved them with your own programs but perhaps you'll allow me to show you some other models."

He pulled two Omni tools from the box and laid them on the table. "This is a Nexus Omni Tool, especially crafted to support quick handling of electronics. And this is a Logic Arrest, slower than the Nexus but faster than your Bluewire. But the real strength lies in its control of personal shields and medical monitoring. I would assume it could exceptional well fit to you and your kind of duties in the field, Kaidan. But this is only my suggestion, you have to decide. Contrary to the radio sets everyone should decide for himself with which Omni tool he feels comfortable."

While Adams seemed delighted about his new toy, Kaidan was far more hesitant. But at last he nodded: "I'll give it a try."

"Good," Udina smiled. "And if you need something, anything, electronic then don't hesitate to contact me. This applies to you, too, Adams."

Adams shook his head. "The Normandy is well equipped. Certainly we could need one thing or another but so shortly after equipping the red tape will be heavy on our way."

Udina smiled at him. "I haven't been a Logistic Officer on that shithole planet for two years without learning one thing or another. Need something? I'll fetch it. And now let us discuss what we have to do to prepare the storeroom for the beacon …"

_Normandy – MAKO Hangar, nearing Eden Prime_

Shepard looked up from his Eviscerator Shotgun after he made sure that his equipment was ready for the drop. He only hoped that these new radio sets held up to the promises made. But even if he despised Udina, the officer so far had made the impression that he understood something of his job. If he could only be a bit less irritable. Only minutes ago he had made Shepard's blood pumping with his remark about "we don't wish you to accidentally blow up the beacon" as he presented him photos about it. Deep down Shepard knew that he was only angry because he hadn't thought himself about this.

And what kind of madness was this choice of weapons? Aside from a normal looking pistol and a reliable Locust SMG Udina had a low holster at his left leg with an old-fashioned revolver Shepard had only seen before in 20th-century vids. Not that Shepard himself looked quite ordinary with that short sword on his back, but what did Udina think to carry such an antiquity?

At least Kaidan and Jenkins looked more like traditional marines. For a moment Shepard's eyes stopped at the brand new Omni tool at Kaidan's arm before he watched Nihlus jump out of the ship. The Spectre had decided to scout ahead alone after they got the message of an attack on Eden Prime.

So far they didn't know who the attacker was, only that he used some kind of robots and drones to attack the small contingent of soldiers under a certain Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. Shepard hoped that she would be able to protect the scientists long enough. And the beacon …

"We jump in 5 … 4 … 3 …"


	3. Chapter 3 First Impressions

**First Impressions**

_Eden Prime – East of the Spaceport_

„Jenkins left, Kaidan right, Udina back, goes." For a moment Shepard feared that Udina would somehow argue his leadership, but to his surprise the younger officer complied without hesitance. With Shepard at the front of the diamond formation they neared the spaceport from the east. Smoke rose from the storehouses that ringed the free platform. A bright sun cast in a blue sky seemed to mock them; the day was simply to beautiful, the woods circling the spaceport to charming to allow anything bad to happen.

But something had happened. From time to time the fire of automatic weapons could be heard, here and then interrupted by the dark bellow of a high caliber gun. A very distant cry of pain reached their ears, stopping ominous after a few seconds. Until now they hadn't seen any living being but no corpses too. Shepard pointed to a small building ahead of them that marked the outer edge of the spaceport.

"Jenkins, on the roof and take a look around, Kaidan with me." Shepard hurried to a greater storehouse with some containers clattered around farther to the right. Jenkins nodded with a grin. He craved for some real action. This was his home; this was perhaps his chance to be a hero and save some of his former neighbors, a chance to show them that he was …

"Jenkins, drones on nine," Shepard's warning interrupted his thoughts. Jenkins turned around to his left but was way too slow. Fear gripped his heart, inexperience stopped him cold. His eyes widened as he realized the three drones that rose from their hideouts and trained their automatic weapons in his direction. He hesitated, didn't know what to do. There was no coverage in range. One of the drones reeled from the impact of a dozen shells as Shepard opened fire. The drone bucked like a wild horse and then exploded, coating the grass with its shreds.

The other two drones reacted. Their electronic brains didn't hesitate or could be shocked by the fate of their brother. A hail of bullets left their weapons and hit the wall of the small building where Jenkins had been only a second before, ripped fist-sized chunks of concrete from the wall. Open-mouthed Kaidan watched Jenkins flying thru the air, ten feet, twenty, thirty, before he slid down, his fall a bit feathered by a biotic cushion. Kaidan winced; he could nearly feel himself Jenkins arm snap as the corporal landed, but at least the salvos had completely missed him.

A few short bursts of fire brought his attention back to Shepard who destroyed the drones with his Lancer Rifle. The following silence was only interrupted by Jenkins low moans of pain and the steps of boots hurrying beside him.

While Kaidan put Jenkins arm in splints Shepard and Udina inspected the destroyed drones. With a puzzled expression Udina looked up. "These are standard planetary defense drones used by the alliance. Why should they attack us? Must have been hacked or something."

"Seems so," Shepard agreed. "By the way: good reaction with your biotic lift."

Udina shrugged and didn't seem to be content. "Thanks, but without your warning I wouldn't have seen them timely."

Before they could continue with slapping each other on their shoulders, new weapon fire could be heard, followed by hasty steps behind the next building. Another burst and something exploded, further bullets hitting a wall and something metallic.

Shepard snapped up, pointed Udina to circle the building around the left corner and hurried to the right. Crouched the two men rounded the building while someone fired several times with an assault rifle on enemies further away.

As Shepard reached the corner he couldn't believe what he saw. Humanoid 'creatures', some kind of robots as it seemed, with a wide arrange of weapons advanced towards a heap of metallic cases stapled against the building's wall. From there someone returned fire, taking out one of the robots and forcing the others into cover. _Robots with survival instinct_, Shepard mused? He had never heard of something like this, the standard security mech unable to act like this.

The head of one of the half-covered robots exploded and the low thump of a single shot could be heard from the left. Seconds later a second head followed and while the other robots turned to face the new threat, Shepard powered up his shield and stormed towards them. _That noise, he really used the revolver_.

Swapping the rifle for his shotgun he ignored the single burst of fire that crashed into his shield and opened fire as he reached point-black range. With a screech the robot exploded, the shreds raining in all directions. Shepard swiveled to the left and right, two further robots went to the ground, the last following his brothers as the unseen assailant between the cases and Udina hit it simultaneously.

The silence was a bit eerie. After a few moments a single person left the cover and the choppy voice of a woman could be heard. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Sir. I'm happy to see you. The first positive sight since hours, I admit. And thank you for the help."

"You're welcome. I'm Commander Shepard, that's Lieutenant Commander Udina. Two of my men are behind the building, one of them wounded by some drones. We're here to search the protean beacon and I could use some information about the situation here, Chief."

Udina only nodded in Williams' direction before he went to the 'robots' and inspected them, gathering some of their electronic parts.

"My platoon had the duty to protect the scientist that examined the beacon. Two hours ago three landing ships, their kind unknown to me, landed on the spaceport. These 'creatures' left the ships and immediately attacked us. We tried to defend but they were too many of them and then somehow they turned our own surveillance drones against us."

For a few seconds Williams stopped talking and Shepard sensed the sorrow in her, the sorrow about the lost comrades under her command. He gripped her shoulder and pressed reassuringly. Williams pressed a small smile.

"We ushered the last scientists and harbor workers into one of the containers and draw the attackers away. But one after one my men were killed." She gulped, worked for words.

"You have done what was possible, Williams. Show us the way to this container now."

Fifteen minutes later they reached the scene and looked down upon a shocking sight. Another dozen of those 'robots' were searching the place for corpses and tore them to some kind of machines. "What are they doing?" Shepard asked but Williams could only shake her head.

Silently they watched as 'something' happened to the corpses. Somehow they were transformed, changed into a hideous caricature of themselves. Williams gasped as one of the corpses began to move.

"We have to stop this, that is unnatural," she demanded. Shepard nodded. "Jenkins, you'll stay here, Kaidan with me, Ashley you'll watch Udina's back. Go." Another time it came to Shepard's mind how different the behavior of Udina was in and out of combat, as he saw the other officer following his orders instantly. _He's an ass but he's a soldier too_.

With Kaidan following him Shepard stormed towards the machines and opened fire, following with two grenades as soon as he was in throwing range. The corpses were hurled around, the machines instantly destroyed. But the damage didn't stop the corpses from rising again. In the meantime Udina and Williams concentrated their fire on the robots; the Gunnery Chief following Udina's lead as he swiftly targeted one robot after the other.

As the third went done the rest had gone into cover and answered their fire, some of them targeting Shepard in disregard of hitting the walking corpses too.

"Prepare for duck shooting," Williams heard the amused voice of Udina, before the first two robots left their cover and rose to the sky. Two bursts of her rifle and metallic rain fell from the air. _He really seems to enjoy this_, Williams thought.

"Shit," a low cry backed Udina's exclamation. One of the robots had been able to hit him in the shoulder as he searched for another target. "Damned tin can," he bellowed angry and pushed with his biotic power, foregoing his more gentle use of biotics and switching to a kind of biotic battering ram. A heavy case beside the robot cringed to the side and fall down, crushing him into pieces.

Shot after shot of Shepard's shotgun hit the corpses, pushing them back with each hit. But only direct hits against their heads seemed to be able to put them out of action instantly instead of hacking them slowly away. Another shot, another head exploded. Then one of them grabbed Shepard. Letting loose his shotgun he draw his sword, pushed the corpse away with his left and pierced its head with the tip of his sword. Bodily juices, shreds of brain and bones showered him but the corpse went limp. Two others were lifted by Kaidan's biotics. In a height of sixty feet he let them go and after a few seconds of fall they hit the concrete ground and splattered.

Two minutes later the last robots went down and while Kaidan cared for Udina's wound Shepard followed Williams to the container. It seemed to be untouched and after her knocking sign someone opened the door hesitantly. The face of a woman in her mid-thirties could be seen.

"Dr. Warren, it is over. We have killed the attackers. This is Commander Shepard." At Williams' words Dr. Warren relaxed visibly.

"You're Dr. Warren? Lieutenant Commander Udina mentioned you and your reports about the beacon."

"Oh, you're with Udina? That's timely arriving, I have to say. Typical for him." Shepard nodded grimly, not very pleased to be 'with Udina'.

"Where is the beacon now?"

"As the attack began we tried to hide it. We took the beacon to the train station, but it was too late. As I saw it the last time, there were a lot of those Geth around."

"Geth? You mean these robots?"

"Surely, I should have remembered them from the start," Udina's voice interrupted them. He entered the room, his right arm in a sling, and greeted Dr. Warren heartily. "Good to see your shapely ass again, Cornelia."

Dr. Warren grinned back. "And I really missed your loose tongue."

Udina smirked: "Yes, I can do really great things with my tongue."

Dr. Warren gave him a small punch on the hurt shoulder, letting Udina wince a bit.

"You're as cruel as ever, Nel."

"Only to those that deserve it."

"I hate to interrupt this lovely family meeting but could we please go back to the theme of those 'Geth'," Shepard interrupted their wordplay.

Udina pulled himself together. "Sure, those robots are Geth, this race of sentient artificial beings created by the Quarians three hundred years ago. I've seen pictures of them but never heard that they left the nebula in the last fifty years."

"I wasn't aware of this, too," Dr. Warren added. "These are the first I ever saw but I think there couldn't be an error about their identity."

"Their actions seemed to be coordinated. Have you seen some kind of leader?"

"No," but Dr. Warren's answer was interrupted by one of the workers: "Yes, I saw a Turian among them."

"A Turian? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am. I was there at the train station to … check something," Shepard frowned but didn't immediately press the matter what exactly the worker had been doing. "I saw a Turian examining the beacon. He sent the Geth away with some machines, looked like bombs or something."

"What? Wait a minute? Bombs? Where did they go with them?"

"Don't know exactly. Walking around, placing them around the station. I didn't really want to wait. Especially after this second Turian showing up. They seemed to know each other. The second was called Nils or something similar, had a white face. The other Turian that was ordering the Geth around he called Saren I think, he had implants all over his body. Then one group of Geth walked in my direction and I hurried away. I had luck that they missed me."

"Hm, seems he wants to destroy any traces. Do you think that could be 'that' Saren? You know as in 'Spectre Saren'?" Udina mused.

"Don't jump at conclusions. What reason should he have for all of this?"

"Don't know but it is a very special coincidence, don't you think so? A turian Spectre escorting us to Eden Prime to fetch the beacon and another Turian with the name of a famous turian Spectre shows up at the right moment. And Saren is quite known for his hate of humans."

Preventing any further discussion Shepard ordered Dr. Warren to show him the way. After some minutes they reached the train station. No Geth, drone or corpse was to be seen.

"Kaidan, Williams, you'll go with me and search for those bombs. Udina you go with Dr. Warren and inspect the beacon."

They only needed a few minutes to find the bombs and disable them. As Shepard went back to the beacon he saw Dr. Warren speaking with Udina and showing him something about the beacon. Something flashed; lights went up all over the machine. Shepard hastened towards the beacon only to stop as Udina pushed Dr. Warren biotically in his direction. A second later 'something' grabbed him, let him rise two yards into the air, and held him there trembling.

After fetching Dr. Warren Shepard scrambled back to his feet and stopped Kaidan who prepared to pull Udina away with his biotics.

"Wait, we don't know what would happen if we interfere."

They could only stare and watch how Udina stayed there in the air, hanging helplessly and trembling, low moans escaping his throat. It was only after some minutes that the flashes stopped. The machine suddenly exploded and hurled his body away.

"Rory," Dr. Warren hurried to his broken and unconscious form.

"That was unexpected," was Shepard's only comment as he fetched his communicator.


	4. Chapter 4 Walk the Line

**Walk the Line**

_Normandy – Infirmary, on the way from Eden Prime to the Citadel_

"I'm so sorry, Rory. It was my entire fault." Dr. Warren stood beside the sickbed with Udina on it half erected by cushions at his back. Since they entered the Normandy she hadn't left the infirmary, had even convinced Dr. Chakwas to allow her a short nap on one of the sick beds.

"Shut up, bitch," Udina said with a buzzing voice, his broad smile diminishing the harsh words. "You've done that with purpose; it was revenge for all the debates you've lost back on Mars." As Dr. Warren showed a thin smile, Udina added with bad-hidden care in his voice: "You're all right, Nel?" He lifted his hand an very gentle stroke her cheek.

"Yes, thanks to you. Again …" Dr. Warren stopped to speak as she saw the look in Udina's eyes. _This doesn't belong here_, his eyes said. The officer turned to Shepard and Anderson. "What happened while I took my little nap?"

Shepard crossed his arms in front of his breast. "The machine exploded and knocked you out. We've taken the rests on board but Dr. Warren already said that there isn't much to recover. While we waited for the Normandy we took a look around. But there was no sign of Nihlus apart from … his weapons. We found them in an empty case near the beacon together with his communicator."

"Abducted," Udina asked? Shepard shrugged. "Possibly. I really have no idea why someone should abduct him but until now I have no better idea what could have happened."

Anderson interrupted: "Do you have any idea why the beacon acted in this way? Obviously he hadn't done it before as he was taken to the train station."

"I can only assume that he was activated somehow, perhaps to get the stored information," Dr. Warren assisted. "These beacons are meant for storing and transfering their knowledge directly to the brain. It is very dangerous for humans, because this information is not thought for our brains. That Udina survived this exchange is … interesting."

Udina scowled: "Thank you, Nel, I feel much better now, much like a laboratory rat with this look in your eyes."

Dr. Warren laughed shortly. "I never had the impression that you resent being … scrutinized." Becoming earnest again she added: "But I have an idea. I know an asari scientist. She has studied the Protheans for the last fifty years. I've met her a few years ago on the Mars evacuation site. If you agree I'll contact her about this beacon."

Anderson decided after a nod from Udina: "If you think her to be trustable then do it. And now to your experience, Udina. Do you remember anything from the beacon? I would actually like to have something, anything to show so this mission wouldn't be a total disaster."

Udina looked very puzzled, trying hard to grasp the information that whirled thru his head. Instantly the headache increased and he even winced a bit. "It is very confusing. I saw pictures, creatures and ships battling each other, completely alien to me. They fought over planets I have never seen. Each battle seemed to be more fierce than the former."

Anderson fetched a note pad from his pocket, activated it and showed Udina an image. It was a ship, around two kilometers long accounting to the notes beside the picture, formed like a hand.

Udina paled at the sight: "Yes, this is the kind of ships I saw attacking a world. Where have you got that picture?"

"We saw the Geth landing ships attaching to this ship over Eden Prime shortly after your contact with the beacon. It left the system immediately, too fast to be followed by us."

"So we have Geth collecting prothean information and working together with an unknown ship and a Turian that abducted a Spectre. Neither Ambassador Udina nor the Council will be happy about these news."

Anderson nodded, storing away the information that he called him 'Ambassador Udina' instead of 'Uncle'. "We're on our way to the Citadel to inform them."

"Perhaps we should 'forget' to mention that second Turian until we have more information," Udina proposed. "Saren is the Council's pet Spectre. They won't be amused about any unproven accusation."

Shepard stared at him and wondered: "Especially you say this? On Eden Prime I thought …"

Udina gave a slight wave: "I stay to my words but what I think or say to you may not always be the base for my words towards … foreigners. We have to be careful and should do a little scrutinize on the Citadel before we present our knowledge to the council."

Anderson agreed: "That would be better." He pondered for a moment before he continued: "As I heard you worked together quite well on Eden Prime. Perhaps Admiral Hackett was right about both of you." Without adding any further explanation he went away and left both officers staring.

After a long pause Shepard harrumphed: "Stay here a bit longer. Dr. Chakwas can be a bit of a bitch if you leave her station too early." Udina smiled broadly. "It is very comfortable here, if I only could convince Nel to give me a small massage." Dr. Warren shortly looked very icy in his direction but then changed to a smile. "We'll speak about that later. We don't want to exert you too much."

Taking the elevator to go to the storage deck, Shepard went straight to Williams, the Gunnery chief just inspecting some weapons on a desk. Her moves and stance made it clear for Shepard that she did this more to occupy her and not out of real necessity.

"We've got an answer for the Captain's request. You may stay on board if that's okay with you."

Williams looked up and stared a moment at Shepard, her eyes lingering on his face, his nose, his lips. As she saw his smile, Williams hastily looked down to the rifles in front of her trying to hide her small blush. "That would be okay, thank you sir."

"Shepard, it is Shepard as long as we are on board." Williams nodded. "Shepard then."

Shepard pointed at the new hard suit she wore. "Is the Liberator feasible for you?"

Williams stroke almost gently over the suit. "Yes, it is perfect, much better than my old suit. The shields are much stronger and with the enhanced motorization I don't feel the heavier weight. The much longer working duration is a bonus. By the way: I inspected the weapons we found in that smuggler hideout on the spaceport. These are Banshee Assault rifles, much better than the Lancers you use on the Normandy. Would be a waste not to use them."

Shepard nodded. "How could I oppose the opinion of my new weapon officer?" He forced a smile on her face. Before he left he added: "And welcome on board, Williams."

_Normandy – Cockpit, nearing the Citadel_

"It is always a sight, don't you think so?" Kaidan asked Joker with a bit of awe in his voice as they neared the gigantic station. "Those five arms are well over forty kilometers long, even the Destiny Ascension looks like a toy in comparison."

"Size is not all," Udina responded unasked. "The station is nearly helpless without a sizable fleet. Without the combined asari-turian home fleet around it a single alliance dreadnought squadron could take it out."

"That's an unusual way to think. Why would …"

Udina weakened his stare with the thinnest of smiles. "We wouldn't, not now at least. But don't dwell too much in thinking those other races to be our friends. We've known them only for less than forty years and we already had battles with Turians and Batarians. There is no reason why we shouldn't at least have in mind that there could be further clashes in the future."

"It is our duty to make sure that this will never happen." Anderson had been very quiet in his advance to the cockpit for a man of his age and weight. Udina bit back a response and nodded after a few seconds.

"I have announced our arrival to the Ambassador. The council so far only knows that there had been interruptions on our mission. They are eager to learn more about it."

"Good, we'll speak with the Ambassador first and agree upon our information that we want to present the Council," Anderson decided. "Prepare yourself."


	5. Chapter 5 Friends of all Kinds

**Friends of all Kinds**

_Human Embassy – Citadel_

"I expect a full report about the mission on Eden Prime within two hours. After that your part in this is over; I'll do the further research about the disappearance of Nihlus." Saren didn't wait for an answer but only shot an angry look at Anderson before he left Ambassador Udina's bureau.

A colorful curse escaped Shepard's throat and forced a slim smile on Commander Udina's lips. "You're correct but it is in his right. He had been Nihlus' mentor and so it had been only natural that the council ordered him to examine the events, even if this is a bit weird for us with our knowledge about his part in the whole matter. Somehow I'm even a bit amused thinking about what he'll present the council as the result of his examination."

He turned around to his uncle: "What do you think? What should we do now? If we don't want to present the picture of incapable children playing Spectre we somehow have to proof what happened on Eden Prime. If we only wait, nothing will happen and this chance to get some human Spectres will be gone for good."

"This mission was really quite a disaster. It should have proven that we're able to help the council and now not only the beacon is destroyed but also a Spectre is missing and we have nothing than a few destroyed Geth to prove our statements. I fear we can expect no help from council or other Spectres. But I know an officer at C-Sec. Perhaps he can help you. At least it should be possible for him to fetch some information about Saren and if he was on the Citadel or away in the last days. Perhaps he is helpful in other matters too. And then there is Barla Von. He is a Volus and working for the Shadow Broker as the rumors go. You should ask him about Saren and the Geth."

"Good idea, Uncle. We'll at least try them. And yes, we'll be careful and try to not annoy anyone." The expression on Ambassador Udina's face proved clearly that he didn't belief a word of it. _Why do I get the impression that the Ambassador is used to haul his nephew out of some kind of trouble_?

_Merchant District – Citadel_

It was quite an experience to go thru the merchant district of the citadel. Members of all races, from gruff Turians to buzzing Volus, from haughty Asari to very strange Hanar were crossing their path on the way to Barla Von. Goods of all kind were sold to anyone who was able and willing to pay the right price with some of the trades being made in shady alleys to avert the interest of the all-present C-Sec.

Barla Von himself had a large and luxurious bureau overlooking a large pond. Further to the left a Hanar was offering goods from his planet, half of them Shepard had no idea what their issue could be. A lone C-Sec officer looked warily at the armored group as they entered the bureau and the automatic defense turrets were not too well hidden. As it seemed Barla Von was used to a very special kind of trading partners. Two of his clerks were speaking with customers, more customers waiting for their turn, but instantly Barla Von waved Shepard and his companions to step nearer. The small and round figure surely was not very impressive to look at but Shepard knew that this could be a deadly error around a Volus.

"Commander Shepard of the earthen-clan, what an unexpected joy to see you in my little shop. I hope you're quite well and healthy after those terrible events on Eden Prime. We've heard gruesome stories about the fights on that beautiful world." Every second word was followed by an audible breath thru his respiration mask and that his eyes were hidden made it difficult for Shepard to judge the Volus.

Shepard shortly blinked but fast steadied himself again. "You're well informed, Barla Von. But why not, because of this we're here in the first place. I heard that you could be able to help us. We're just collecting some information about someone, the Spectre Saren you know? Just a little curiosity, nothing special."

Shepard couldn't see but simply feel the small smile about the Volus. "Saren, Spectre, hero, and darling of the council, yes it is quite understandable that you're interested in a person like him. Normally I would hesitate to speak about him but you should know that he made some bad decisions in the past. He had a long-standing working agreement with my employer, but in the last weeks he started to go his own way. That's not bad in itself, but to our regret he also began to steal away some of our contacts and employees. That is a very bad habit and my employer is very unhappy about it. He sent an agent to speak with one of our former employees that is now working for Saren. If you're fast enough you should be able to fetch him. I just wanted to activate some help to get him off the hook of the C-Sec. It seems that there had been a little misunderstanding. He's named Wrex and he's a Krogan. You know that Krogans are an often misunderstood race. If you're able to solve this little problem we could share information about wonderful Saren."

_Near C-Sec, Citadel_

"Don't move." Udina's voice was soft and friendly but punctuated thru the muzzle of his gun pressed against the kidney of the Turian in front of him. "Don't try. It had been a very pleasant afternoon and I would hate to break it with your blood spilling all over the flowers."

"And what shall we do now, Commander Udina?" The Turian remained calm, his stance composed. He did a good job in impressing Udina with his professional reaction. After he met Harkin and got not only his promise to look after boarding information about Saren but also the release of Urdnot Wrex they had left C-Sec only to realize that they were followed by an unknown Turian. With Shepard and the others organizing a distraction Udina circled back and had success in surprising the Turian.

"You're at an advantage because I don't know your name. And what especially interest me: why is a high-ranking C-Sec Officer following us?" Udina could smell a cop and the stance of this Turian told him that he surely was no mere foot soldier.

"I see that your insight is as good as your stealth skills." The Turian smiled shortly, but Udina didn't respond to that. "And I would appreciate if you'd stop flattering me and give me an answer. The sun burns, the gun is getting heavy and I could really use a drink."

"I witnessed that you spoke with Harkin, that lousy caricature of a C-Sec, and that you're searching about Saren. The last bit of incentive I needed was that you wanted Wrex to be released. Did you know that he wants to kill Fist, a small crime lord who's in league with Saren? I see you knew."

The pressure left the kidney as Udina stored his gun away. "And why should this be of your interest, Mr. …?"

"Garrus Vakarian at your service," the Turian answered with more of bit sarcasm in his voice.

"I see. You're that Vakarian that wanted to shoot down a space vessel with a criminal medic on board a few weeks ago?"

Udina didn't blink as Garrus growled back: "He was a criminal organ dealer, used his employees to let organs grow in their body so that he could farm them later."

"Yes, I heard about that. I was not impressed that you let him go and flee with that space vessel. Did you get a bit soft because of the other people on board?"

"I was ordered to," Garrus answered with a rumble of anger in his voice.

Udina nodded. "And because you're such a fine and lawful officer you followed the order instead of kicking your superior's ass and blasting that slime to hell. As is said: softie." Udina's broad smile did much to lessen the impact of his words but the ice-cold stare of his eyes convinced Garrus that this man would have done exactly that_. I like him, teamwork with him could be fun_.

He led Garrus to Shepard, on the way holding a position which allowed him to see Garrus all the time. "Shep, this is Garrus Vakarian, C-Sec officer and a fan boy of Saren." Hastily he stepped away as Garrus turned angrily to him. Udina smiled broadly. _Another test,_ Garrus mused.

"Shepard, Wrex," Garrus nodded in their direction. "Thinking about Wrex and his mission to kill Fist …," he started to say but was interrupted by the Krogan: "Something unproven …"

"Yes, whatever. So with Wrex out to kill Fist I would like to propose a deal. I'll help you with him and his not so small band. But we have to take him alive. I have some questions he has to answer before he dies. If that is done you may do what is needed."

Shepard blinked at him: "You're a C-Sec and wouldn't mind that we kill Fist?" Udina rolled his eyes as he heard the question.

Garrus frowned shortly: "He's a mass of shit. I would kill him myself after questioning but I suppose Wrex himself wants to do that, contract and all." Wrex only nodded.

"Good, now that we're all a nice and happy family: Garrus do you have a plan how we may fetch this little rat?"

_Chora's Den – Citadel_

"You're able to open that lock? Seems a bit complicated," Ash asked him, looking around a bit nervously for further guards. Two they had knocked out in the alley behind Chora's Den after getting near them playing lovers.

"Do you want to insult me, Ridein?" Udina showed a bit of hurt on his face, but Ash had no time to ask him about the nickname as they heard a click and the door silently opened. The noises of the bar were damped thru thick curtains. From the open doors on the right the smell of urine waved into the corridor. A single thug, hands just closing his pants, left the urinal. Before he had time to react Udina lashed out with the side of his hand and hit his voice box. With no more than a low gurgle he went to the ground, knocked out thru a hit to the temple with the gun's grip.

"Ready to rumble," Ash whispered into her comm. Moments later clamor could be heard from the bar, the loud voice of a Krogan and the curses of some humans.

"Ladies first," Udina pointed to the open door, shoving Ash aside at the last moment. "Oh, sorry, no ladies around." He entered the bar room where Garrus, Shepard and Wrex just opened a gunfight with a dozen thugs, the sparsely clientele diving for cover. Shooting two of them into their backs with his SMG Udina went into hiding himself. His antique revolver flew into his left hand and within seconds two other thugs went down with bullets in their heads.

Ash was a bit shocked by the turn of events. She had been a soldier for more than ten years and had surely killed more than her share of men. But somehow until now she hadn't thought that Udina would be this cold-blooded and swift. To her right she saw three thugs following a single Krogan charging Wrex. In Wrex' hands a heavy shotgun bellowed several times, each time forcing the Krogan a step back. He left it to Garrus and Shepard to take the humans out.

As the Krogan finally went down, Shepard's voice shortly filled the comms, totally unagitated as if he would discuss the newest hairstyle. "Wrex, you should use incendiary shells with your shotgun." Wrex laughed dryly. "I thought about that but I didn't want to ruin the whiskey here. There should be some alcohol left for the victory party afterwards."

Some minutes later the last thug was down and Udina tore a serving wrench out of her hiding. It was a human woman, no more than twenty years old, her clothing not really worth to be called that but more resembling one of the Asari strippers, err … exotic dancers.

"Shhh, shhh, don't fear. It is over. You see?" Udina stored his gun away and showed his open hands. For a second Ash thought about the fact that he was quite capable of killing that woman with his hands within seconds but stayed silent. "Where's your boss now?"

She stared with wide-eyes at him and gulped several times. "He … he went to Dr. Michel. W … wants to interrogate her because of that Quarian woman."

"Do you know this Dr. Michel?" Udina asked Garrus, the C-Sec nodding. "She has a small medic center in the poorer parts of the district."

Udina turned back to the waitress: "How's your name?"

"Je … Jenna."

"Good, Jenna. You should better leave and stay low for a while. Don't fear your boss; he'll be dead within an hour. But perhaps you should look for another job." Hastily he rummaged thru the pockets of some of the dead thugs and collected their money, shoving the credit notes into Jenna's hand. "Stay low and don't work in something like this again, understood?" Jenna hastily nodded and hurried away.

As Udina looked up he saw the puzzled expression on the faces of Shepard and Ash. "What," he snapped angrily? "Nothing to do? Garrus show the way." Ignoring their slim smiles he followed Garrus as the Turian left the bar.


	6. Chapter 6 Evidence

**Evidence**

_Dr. Michel's Med Clinic – Citadel_

"W … wait, you can't …"

Shepard didn't stop to argue with the thug that tried to hinder him entering the med clinic. Instead he simply shoved him aside and left it to Williams to knock him out with a fast bash of her gunstock against his temple.

"The door was open, was only a bit jammed," Udina said as he opened the door after a few seconds of playing on his Omni tool.

Garrus simply smiled back: "Sure it was. I would never expect an alliance officer to have lock picking progs on his Omni so it would be the only possible explanation." _You have no idea_, Udina smiled inwardly.

Williams dragged the unconscious thug into the clinic while the others looked around with weapons drawn. Someone had been searching the clinic, all kind of equipment, notepads and papers lying around, some of them smashed or torn apart. Two other thugs were sitting in the main room and guarding a human woman in her early thirties with short, dark blonde hair and visible signs of a recent beating in her face. Now they jumped to their feet and lifted their weapons.

"Garrus," Udina simply shouted, his biotics flaring as he gripped the woman and pulled her away from the thugs. He stopped her flight with open arms and hastily turned around to shield her from them. A silenced gun bellowed two times and two thuds followed a second later as the thugs went to the ground.

"Dr. Michel, I assume?" Udina showed her his friendliest smile and didn't instantly release her from his grip. _Pale, sweating, possibility to faint_, his mind scrutinized the sight.

"Always the gentleman, Udina?" Williams asked with a smirk.

"Y … yes, I'm Chloe Michel. T … thank you."

Stepping between her and the dead thugs Udina directed Dr. Michel to a seat and gently forced her down. He fetched some water and cloth, kneeled in front of her and began to tenderly clean her wounds and put some med gel on them. Not before this was done and she had some time to reassure, he gave Shepard a sign to ask his questions.

"I'm Commander Shepard from the alliance ship Normandy. We're looking for a local crime lord named Fist. I assume you know him?"

"Yes, I do. These men belonged to him. He left them behind to watch me."

"We were told that he wanted to ask you about some Quarian. Is this correct? Who's this Quarian and why is he interested in her?"

Chloe Michel hesitated for a moment, but Udina gripped her hand and pressed it slightly. "Her name is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. As far as I know she is simply a young Quarian on her pilgrimage. That's some kind of rite concerned about travelling around and looking for things or knowledge that could be helpful for her race. She arrived at the citadel two days before and someone tried to shoot her. Either she simply didn't want to tell me why or she doesn't know herself. I treated her wound and gave her an address I thought to be secure. At least until Fist showed up and wanted to know where she is. He went after her with three of his men."

Shepard noted the address of Tali's hideout and looked on an electronic map of the area. "Williams, you'll escort Dr. Michel to the Embassy. Wrex is with me, we'll go up front to the place. Udina and Garrus search for a back entrance. This balcony could be possible. Let's go."

_Tali's hideout – Citadel_

_What have I done to deserve this_, Tali asked herself not for the first time? She lay on her stomach, her hands shackled at her rear. This Fist was searching her Omni tool and she could only hope that he wouldn't damage it with his stupid stubby fingers. _Not that this would be the worst I have to fear._

Fist had made it very clear that he only looked for some information before he would get lost of her permanently. Someone had paid quite a sum of credits to hunt her down. She had known this since a batarian had tried to shot her down two days before. Since then she had been on the run and without the help of that doc she would have been caught long before. But now her luck had finally run out.

"Boss, this Krogan that made trouble at the bar yesterday has shown up. He's incoming and has some human muscle as backup." At the news from the lookout Fist pointed his men to take positions and dragged Tali aside behind a shelf, pressing the muzzle of his gun at her neck. Heavy steps neared the door but then there was only silence. _What are they waiting for_, Fist pondered, his men nervously waiting to spring an attack?

That something was amiss he realized as he heard a very silent click from his gun. He looked down to see the safeguard active again. Before he was able to react something shattered the window behind him, splattered him with glass shards and smashed his body thru the shelf he had used as coverage towards the door. His thugs hastily turned around, one of them shuddering as two bullets tore into his breast. Then the door was 'opened' as four hundred kilogram of Krogan muscles bashed it open.

"Knock, knock," Wrex bellowed before he turned the former lookout to a bloody pulp with his shotgun. The last man hastily dropped his gun. With a grunt of disgust Wrex gave him a smack with his gunstock and looked around for Fist.

"Don't kill him, questions first." Garrus hastily ordered.

While Shepard went to Garrus to help him interrogate Fist, Udina heaved the Quarian into one of the seats. _She's very scared, looks like a fawn ready to run. Perhaps I would be the same away from my race the first time, in an unknown place and with some criminals hunting me_. "I'm Rory Udina. Dr. Michel sent us here to help you against Fist. I'll open your shackles and you won't run away. We're here to help but we need information from you. Do you understand?"

Tali hesitantly nodded, but only seconds after Udina opened the bindings she tried to snatch her Omni tool and run. A blue field enveloped her body and stopped any moves. With a deep sigh Udina slowly went around her body hanging in the air. He forced his voice to be something he assumed to be friendly and assuring.

"I said: don't run. We only want information from you. We won't hurt you, won't kill you or sell you. After a little small talk you will be able to go away and I'll give you your Omni back. But you now should know that you need some help. Could you at least try to trust me a little bit?"

_Human, male, large, slender, has rescued me from Fist, doesn't threaten me, wants to speak_, the thoughts whirled thru her mind while Tali tried to calm herself.

For some long moments the Quarian stayed very silent but Udina could see that her body started to relax. At last she nodded: "I'm Tali'Zorah nar Rayya."

_Human Embassy – Citadel_

"What a mess," Ambassador Udina was running around in his bureau. "We spoke about some silent research and you start a little war with a local crime lord. I really ask myself why I ever proposed you for this job. You're way too much like your mother."

Without a grin Commander Udina replied: "I'll take this as a compliment and I hope for you that it was meant as such. But apart from your ramblings, dear uncle, our research had been quite successful, I believe."

Anderson suppressed a smile and agreed: "I think we have enough witness to present our case to the council. Apart from the worker on Eden Prime we have the testimonies of Fist and Tali'Zorah. We know that Saren had been away from the Citadel for a few days and that he paid Fist for information about the beacon on Eden Prime. But most useful are the rescued data from Tali."

The Quarian had escorted Shepard to the Embassy and showed him the data she had won from a destroyed Geth shortly before she arrived at the Citadel. It showed Saren speaking with a young Asari in front of some Geth. The Asari was ordered to go to Feros to finish an unspecified task.

"We still don't know what his plan could be but the data proved that he is working together with Geth. At least this should convince the council to allow us further and sanctioned research about Saren," Shepard hoped.

"We'll see if your optimism was justified," Ambassador Udina simply stated.

_Dr. Michel's Med Clinic – Citadel_

The smell of fresh coffee permeated the clinic. Relaxed Udina sat on the desk and thought about the last 24 hours. _Garrus will be with us. This could be interesting. He actually seems to understand his job and he isn't concerned too much about proper procedures. That he's a Turian … everyone has his little flaws. Wrex on the other hand … I don't think that Shep made a good decision to take him along. A Krogan and mercenary, who is out to kill Saren; that could cause some problems later. At least he seems to be much more intelligent than Krogans normally are._

Snapping back from his daydreams Udina realized that Dr. Michel was standing in front of him. He took the cup out of Chloe's hand before he turned to Tali.

"What will you do now, Tali? Fist is dead and the Council allowed us to make further examinations about Saren. You should be secure now."

Tali shrugged with her small shoulders, her tiny figure somehow enforcing an urge to protect her on Udina's side. _She almost reminds me of_ … hastily Udina suppressed the train of thoughts. "I've wondered that myself. I have no immediate plans. My pilgrimage has only just begun and I still want to find something useful for my people."

"As I examined the data on your Omni tool, I saw some very sophisticated technician progs." As he saw her wince, Udina hastily added: "I've not looked into your personal files, be assured. But I heard many stories about Quarians and their technical abilities. I was thinking about … if you've nothing else planned, what do you mean about … escorting us? The Normandy I mean. We'll go to Therum first. That's a world in the Knossos system of the Artemis Tau Cluster. We're looking there for an Asari scientist about the Protheans. I don't know if that would be of interest for you but at least you surely could learn something on the Normandy. It is a very modern ship, merging technics for humans and Turians. State-of-the-art, so to say. After that we'll be visiting other planets and search for hints and clues about Saren's plans."

Tali blinked, her face hidden behind the opaque visor. "I would like that. But why are you proposing that to me? What have I to offer?"

_If I only knew this myself_, Udina mused. "As I told you: I would think you could be very useful with your technical skills. And I have to admit I see it as a kind of thanks for your help in gathering proof about Saren. Without your data we would still be fishing in the dark." Udina hoped that he did a better job in convincing her than he did with himself.

"Then I agree. I'll try to make myself useful and with a bit of luck it will help me with my pilgrimage too."

"Fine," Udina exhaled with relief. "Wrex and Garrus will be on board too. It will be an interesting time, I assume."


	7. Chapter 7 Quarian on Board

**Quarian on Board**

_Normandy – Conference Room, on the way to Therum_

"Until now we only know that Dr. Liara T'Soni has been on Therum for more than a month. She is the alone and doing some research in a prothean ruin. Neither from her nor the small mining corp in her vicinity that originally detected that ruin has been any lifesign since three days." Shepard had used the time on their way to the Artemis Tau Cluster to gather his crew and inform them. What should have been a simple take-up of Dr. T'Soni seemed to have changed into a kind of rescue mission.

"Nel, this Dr. T'Soni is she very good or somehow very special or something? I only wonder about the coincidence that she disappeared quite after we decided to contact her." With a deep frown on his face Udina awaited Dr. Warren's answer.

"I'm not sure, Rory. She has been studying the Protheans for a long time, at least compared to human scientists. But you have to keep in mind that she is very young for her race; relatively spoken she is younger than you. Surely there are other scientists with deeper knowledge, but perhaps not so fast available. So it could be simple coincidence or Saren somehow needs her and her knowledge."

"Good, but we have to stop these speculations for now," Shepard interrupted them. "We'll arrive in around thirty hours. Be prepared, we'll go down with two teams. I'll go directly to the prothean ruin with Wrex, Kaidan and Garrus. Udina, you'll inspect the corp site with Tali and Ash. You're not to battle if there is stiff resistance. Only look for signs about Dr. T'Soni and what happened."

As the crew members started to leave the room, Shepard called Ashley and Tali back to his side. "Tali, I've spoken with Adams about your work. Don't fear, he has spoken very well about you. He seems to be quite impressed about your technical savvy. But we've decided to diminish your working time there. I have a special duty for both of you. Somehow Udina was able to lay his hands on some new parts and plans back on the citadel. I want you two to inspect them and look which of them could be used to enhance our equipment. Any regards, Ash?"

Williams had been silent so far but her face showed that she had her own opinion about this work. Shortly she looked at Tali, but hesitated and shook her head at last. "Nothing, sir."

_Perhaps it is only her old concern about aliens on board. She had shown quite clearly how she thought about letting them run around unobserved_, Shepard sighed.

"Good, then it is decided. Highest priority would be the integration of these shield enhancers. This one" he pointed to a file on the notepad "is especially thought for your Liberator suit. Try it first. I want a first progress report in 24 hours."

As Tali entered her room some hours later, her head still full of ideas about how to incorporate the new designs in the hard suits, she nearly stumbled over some tools on the ground. All kind of hammers, forceps, braces and cables were lying around. Legs could be seen under a table where someone was working. "Hello?" She called hesitantly, unsure how to react to this intrusion in her little sanctum.

A thud and a curse could be heard as Udina scrambled away from the table, holding his head. A little angry he looked at Tali. "You're too early. Go away."

Tali blinked wildly, hesitant what to say. After some moments Udina smiled shortly and let her to her bed, forcing her down. "Stay out of my way." After that he simply went back to his work. As far as Tali could see he was doing something to the life systems of her room. "After your next sleeping phase Adams will install one of the movable air locks in your room."

Not understanding what this all was about her eyes went to the small package on the bed. "Is this for me?"

"What? Oh, yes. I hope it is the right size, I had to assume." In reality he had been looking into Dr. Chakwas' medical file but that should stay his little secret. To his regret there hadn't been any pictures of her in the file and shortly he thought about installing some cameras in her room. But the risk would be too great that she would find them and he really had no wish to make her angry.

Carefully Tali opened the package, finding therein another suit, much lighter than her own. Her people used this type back in the Flotilla for works on board were the risk of damage done to the suit was much lower. It gave her much more freedom in her movement and even allowed a real feeling if touching something, hugging another Quarian not resembling to embrace a machine. As she looked up, Udina hastily looked away.

"I thought you'd be able to work better in that. We don't want to waste your abilities."

_What do I say_? Tali was completely baffled. Since she left the Flotilla nobody had been this nice to her. Most had handled her as some kind of vermin or thief, the C-Sec interrogating her for hours as she wanted to enter the Citadel. And now … this.

As her silence was drawn out, Udina turned around, his cheeks a little blushing. "I hope I wasn't too intrusive? I only wanted to make you feel a bit more like home."

"I … no … I appreciate the thought. It only surprised me. Why have you done all this? I mean surely you didn't the same for Garrus or Wrex."

Udina's blush deepened. "They are … different. I mean, they are used to be … you know … away. I had the feeling that it is harder for you. And I cannot remotely imagine how a life would be in a hard suit all the time. With the air lock you should be able to change between the suits and even take a bath if you wish. The water circle is a special one for you, so please don't use too many bathing oils or something. But Dr. Chakwas meant it would be secure for you to leave your suit in this room after the alteration. You'll have to use other rooms if you want to speak with others but I thought …"

Tali stood up and went to Udina, looking into his face as if she was still searching for an answer. "This must be very expensive. Won't this cause questions about the necessity? Why have you done this?"

"Don't think too much about that. I've more than enough money, I've more than once dumped it in a completely senseless way. I remember how I crashed a car on my 18th birthday I had been given only two hours before. Allow me to use some of it for something worthwhile." _He has used his own money to pay for this? What does he expect?_

Slowly he went to the door. She was like her. In doing her this favor he was somehow repaying his debt or so he hoped at least. But that thought was for another time. "Good night, Tali."

"Good night, Rory." She couldn't see but at least feel his smile.


	8. Chapter 8 Tourist Business

**Tourist Business**

_Therum – Corp Site_

"We're nearing the corp site. Until now we had no contacts. Power level on corp site is below expected value. Arrive at corp site in two." Udina ended the transmission and looked at Ashley. She seemed to be in her element as she drove the MAKO thru the canyon towards the corp site they were expected to examine. It made him a bit nervous that until now there had been no reaction to his calls. From the data he had got there should have been around thirty mine workers, technicians and administrators. Even if there had been some kind of attack at least a few should have been able to escape.

"I detect a scrambling field around the corp site," Tali's detection at least partly explained the radio silence. "It interferes with the communicators and … field had been altered and now includes other frequencies."

A hasty look on his sensors proved that Tali were right. There was nothing to be seen from the former energy echoes. That could only mean … "Prepare for fight, we're detected. Tali ready the turret." No more trusting the sensors Udina took a look around and activated the spy glass function of his suit. Feathery clouds to the left … "Evade." Seconds after Ashley changed the direction of the MAKO the first two rockets hit the stone to their left, showering the car with stone chips.

The paleness of Udina's face was hidden thru the head section of his suit. Not that Ash or Tali would have the time to look after him. His heart raced. On a small scale he was used to combat but this? Rocket throwers opening fire on a vehicle. A driver and a gunner were waiting for his commands. For some seconds his mind simply stopped to work. With force he thought about Shepard_. What would he do in this situation with his simple mind_ …?

"Charge … I mean: straight at them, Ash, full tempo. Tali: suppressing fire on their position."

Ash only hesitated for a moment; then the motor roared out as the MAKO accelerated. Two times they evaded further rockets, only one of them needed to be deflected by the kinetic barrier. Tali's fire had medium success in forcing their enemies into cover. A flash and something pierced the barrier. _An energy weapon, _Udina wondered. But it seemed only to be a handgun with not enough energy to do real damage. More of them followed together with some kind of machine gun that was easily deflected_. Too many enemies for us, at least more than hoped_.

Pointing Ash to take a position behind a large boulder the MAKO was hidden from at least a part of their enemies and now Tali was able to put out the rocket thrower with well-placed salvos. Udina added to this with his SMG but mostly hit the stones around the dozen Geth that were now storming their position.

Ash was much more effective with her Banshee and even had the breath to snarl: "You could use some hours on the firing range, Commander-Sir."

"Arg," Udina growled, changing to his weathered revolver. The following four shots were taking two of the Geth down. "I hate automatic weapons." Going down into cover he used the moment to reload.

"Then why do you use them?" Ash wondered under the crescendo of Tali's cannon hammering away an especially large Geth.

"It is the standard weapon of my former unit. That doesn't mean that I like it."

Shortly Ash looked at the weapon. _Which units have small SMGs as their standard weapon_?

"Down," Udina bellowed. Obeying instantly Ash heard bullets ringing against the metal around her driver seat. A second later three deep thumps and a metallic screech told her of Udina's answer.

A short time later the last Geth was down and they had time for an intensive look around and a sitrep for Shepard.

"Opposition at the corp site is down. Two large and a dozen standard Geth. We've salvaged some unknown energy rifles. Until now only four dead miners, guards seemingly. But we've detected a mine entrance. Gauging from its position it could be some kind of back entrance to your digging site. We'll examine, maybe no comm possible while staying therein."

_Therum – Digging Site_

"So you're a Spectre now, Shepard," Garrus asked? The Normandy had delivered them to a spot on a high plateau a mile south of the digging site that should allow them to advance undetected to a position above the entrance. There had been no energy signatures around but Shepard didn't trust the peace for a second.

"I'm only a sobbing Spectre now," he answered with a smile. As Garrus only answered with a frown he explained: "I'm a Spectre on probation. Sobbing."

Kaidan groaned: "I don't know what's hurting more: your spelling, your humor or all else."

Shepard glared back: "Attention! You know: if your superior makes a joke …"

"Sorry, missed that lesson about advanced subordinate behavior completely."

Garrus chuckled. "So you're on probation. But if we're successful …"

"Then we'll be Spectres, Udina and I. If we're successful and the council is willing to acknowledge it."

Kaidan shook his head: "Sometimes I hear words from you and think it is Udina speaking."

Shortly Shepard looked as if he was hurt but then he lowly replied: "Even Udina is right sometimes … scattered … mostly never."

Kaidan and Wrex chimed into his laugh while Garrus seemed to be of another opinion but stayed silent.

"There it is," Shepard stated as they were able to look down. Someone had used explosives to open an entrance into the lava rock, revealing a kind of air lock seemingly thousands of years old, the exact kind completely unknown to Shepard. Some machines and cases were lying around but no enemies could be seen.

But Garrus stopped Shepard: "Wait, I have some signatures … can't scan them exactly but … I would guess there are Geth between the debris. And that large rock …"

"Okay, doesn't hurt to prepare. Garrus: position further to the west for your sniper. Wrex: prepare the rocket thrower and try to reach that position." He pointed to some rocks fifty yards to the east. "Kaidan and I … we're tourists." Smiling he made his Banshee ready and slowly climbed down.

_Therum – Corp Site _

"I heard something, a kind of click," Ash whispered into Udina's ear. Despite her heavy hard suit he had trouble to avoid looking onto her breast and holding eye contact. He nodded and pointed her and Tali to take positions. Seconds later he heard it two: scattered clicks of boots and metal on the rocky ground.

Then two figures came into his sight: mine workers.

"Hey," Udina said, going back into cover instantly as the startled workers lifted their weapons in his direction. "We're friends. Commander Udina, Alliance navy."

Deep sighs of relief answered him. "Scott Havisham, foreman of this mine and very happy to see something other than wild shooting metal-buckets or Krogans."

"Krogans, what Krogans," Udina asked as he left his cover. "These … things … they follow a very large Krogan. At least he didn't follow us into the mines as we run, only took out our guards and occupied our camp. We've been here since then, hoping for some rescue."

"We killed the 'things' … they are called Geth … in the camp, but I don't know if it is secure now. Do you know where he went after that? And have you heard something of Dr. T'Soni?"

"Dr. T'Soni? Have not seen her since a week. The contact is only very sparsely, she is mostly working alone there at her digging site. We're not allowed to go there since we found the ruin. The Krogan went down that tunnel over there. It is the one that leads to the back of the ruin. There we had found the first signs of those old stones."

"I need one of your men as a guide. Come on, the faster we're done with this the faster you'll be able to go to the open again." Havisham complied and ordered his not very pleased companion to go with them. Not even wishing to give them his name he seemed at least to be well versed with the tunnels and fast they covered the distance to the digging site.

_Therum – Digging Site_

Seconds after Shepard set foot on the ground below the cliff the 'rock' began to move. Simultaneously some of the metal scraps lifted and turned around to him. From far above and left a heavy rifle thumped, instantly taking out one of the Geth. The moment the 'rock' was clear of the ground – in reality more reminding of a metallic turtle – its 'mouth' began to glow with blue light. A rocket whistled down and hit it squarely, another followed seconds later; a third threw it to the side, the two legs on the left folding.

Shepard charged ahead, taking down two of the Geth with his rifle. As the other began to concentrate on his position he sensed Kaidan's biotics gripping his body and hurling him towards the turtle. Even with the biotic cushion and his skillful scrolling after the flight the impact was hard and let his teeth click against each other. But he ignored the pain and hurried to the turtle. Before it was able to straighten up, Shepard pierced its belly with a full magazine of his rifle, rolling into cover as he saw the first signs of overloading.

His shield flashed, something hit his shoulder and arm, and then he was hidden, hidden also from the hundreds of shards flying around as the turtle exploded.

"That was funny, Shep," Wrex laughed thru the comm, "but next time I'll do the tourist thing."


	9. Chapter 9 Damsel in Distress

**Damsel in Distress**

_Therum – Digging Site_

„This place is quite unusual, Shepard, " Kaidan whispered after a long look around the large chamber. "Clearly this place had been built to endure an eternity but long ago obviously lava claimed it. It is a wonder that at least part of it is still intact."

Shepard didn't answer immediately but kicked the head of a destroyed Geth away. Since they entered the place there had been only token resistance. All in all they had destroyed not more than two fistful of them.

Garrus looked up from the canisters he had been examining. "These are all kind of explosives, mostly used for simple mining. It seems that the Geth were collecting them for something. But for what kind of action do you need so much stuff?"

Shepard bent forward over the railing to look down onto the lower half of the chamber. Some blue light could be seen there and some machines were standing around. "Certainly to blow up something very large. We'll go down. I don't trust the elevator so we'll climb." Instantly following his own advice he started to climb over the railing and search for holding at the elevator-shaft.

He had only reached the middle of the way down to the next level, as something startled him. A machine sprang into action and seconds later the elevator began to move. Slowly it descended and gave him enough time to see the big smiles of Garrus and Wrex as they passed him. Obviously only Kaidan had followed him on his climbing tour. For a moment he felt a bit stupid but then something metallic snapped. Shrieking and sparking the elevator moved much more rapidly down its shaft. Panic-stricken its passengers gripped the grids. To Shepard's regret they stayed silent. For a moment he had hoped for some girlish squeaks.

To wedged to achieve a dangerous speed the elevator went further down only to stop suddenly three yards above the ground. While Shepard climbed down the rest of the way, Garrus and Wrex forced the door open and reached the ground with a jump. "It was all only planned, Shepard. It was faster this way."

Before he had a chance to answer, a weak female voice interrupted them. "Hello? Is there anybody? I'm over here."

Following the voice to the blue light they had a weird sight in front of them some moments later. Shielded from them thru a kind of blue energy barrier there was another large room with some machines and working stations in it. But the most unusual sight was an Asari hanging midair and being surrounded by an energy bubble.

Shepard needed some seconds to close his mouth and win back control over his voice. As friendly and confident as he was able to sound he asked her: "Dr. T'Soni, I assume?"

"Yes, I'm Liara T'Soni. Could you please help me? I've tried to …" She babbled on and on, Shepard only understanding half of it. After a while a slight headache gripped him and he stopped her a bit too angry.

"Wait." Immediately her mouth closed and she stared at him baffled. "So you want to say that you erected this shield to protect you from the Geth. And that you accidentally activated some kind of security measure that now holds you in place. And we may deactivate it only from your side of the shield and have to find a way around this shield. Correct so far?" She nodded and opened her mouth again only to stop as he raised his hand. "Good, we'll look around for a solution. Don't go away." He even escorted the last words with a smile which did much to soothe her.

_Therum – Corp Site_

"What was that?" Ash asked. Seconds before there had been a rumbling far away and now all around the tunnels started to grate. Dust was falling from the ceiling and all in all they had the feeling that the mine wasn't secure any more.

"In case of doubt Shepard or Wrex has been doing something destructive," Udina answered with a shrug. "You," he turned to the worker. "Go back to your people. They should leave the mine immediately." The man hesitated only a moment before he nodded and sprinted away. "And we should hurry."

They had followed the tunnel only a further hundred yards, with the rumbling around them all the time, before they came across three Geth that were working at some kind of energy station, obviously powering it up. Some cables left from the chamber into another tunnel. With their shields down it was a kind of open invitation to shoot them and Ash had ever been a polite woman. Her rifle took two of them down before they had a chance to react, the last following a handful of seconds and a full SMG magazine later. Udina only growled into Ash's friendly face: "Don't say a single word."

_Therum – Digging Site _

"She's very young," Garrus stated. With the explosives they had been able to create a break thru the wall below Liara without endangering her and now they watched Kaidan as he tried to free the Asari, his fingers whirling on the working station.

"Is this good or bad," Wrex asked?

Garrus pondered for a moment before he answered with a wicked smile. "Good I think. You know most Asari this age work as exotic dancers. And she's surely very … athletic. Perhaps we could convince her to repay with a little …"

"Shut it," Shepard called, but couldn't help to smile a bit as he saw Liara blushing wildly at the not so silently suggested opinion of Garrus. Seconds later she was free and Kaidan even made a small bow. _Always the cavalier_, Shepard stated to himself.

"Dr. T'Soni, I'm Commander Shepard. We're here following a suggestion of Dr. Warren from the Mars Academy. We're in need" _no, not of your dancing skills, but I see why Garrus had the idea_ "of your knowledge about the Protheans." A low rumbling, not the first since Garrus used the explosives, stopped their conversation. "But first we should hurry to leave this place. Our way in seems to be too unstable now. Do you know another way out?"

"There is the tunnel the miners used before they found the ruins. It should still be open. Follow me." She hurried away and only minutes later Shepard had lost all orientation. Some of the tunnels seemed to be natural; others had been crafted with mining equipment. But then another energy field stopped them, a working station not far away and on their side.

"I erected this field as I heard of an attack on the mining corporation." Liara said gasping for breath. Coughing she collected some energy before she went to the station.

"Wait," Garrus stopped her. "There is someone on the other side." Stepping closer they detected a group of Geth working on a mining driller, following the commands of a very large Krogan. As he detected them, he smiled broadly and ordered his Geth into position. He waved Shepard's team too attack and reloaded his shotgun, eager to combat them.

"Ready your weapons. Liara into cover as fast as possible after opening the shields. Garrus, I need some smoking grenades in the tunnel. Wrex, the Krogan is yours." Wrex answered with an enjoyed snarl.

"Need a minute," Liara answered. Tensed Shepard waited for the energy field to falter, as he realized some new movement on the other side. Something had called the Krogan's interest and now he was ordering the bulk of his Geth to follow him, leaving only a handful behind. _What's going on there? Udina_ …

_Therum – Corp Site_

"There are some energy signatures, I would say: Geth." Tali looked up as she felt herself gripped and shoved away by Udina.

"Tali: rear position, Ridein to the point," he ordered. As they followed the tunnel Ash lowly whispered: "I don't know if I like the situation to have you with a loaded gun behind me."

A bit amused Udina answered: "Oh, I like the sight enough for the two of us."

Ash giggled. "Is this so? And I thought you're more interested in Tali's ass or why did you buy her that form-fitting suit?"

Baffled Udina turned around to Tali and hoped that she was too far away to fetch that last comment. _Interested in her? No, that would be like_ … Trying to cover the situation he smirked: "I could nearly hear a hint of jealousness if I hadn't caught you too often ogling the commander."

Ash nearly missed her next step and quickly looked down to hide her blushing. "I'm not ogling the commander," she answered not very convincing.

"You are," Udina responded and for a moment Ash wondered if she had really heard some sorrow in his voice. _I must have been mistaken_.

Movement ahead in the tunnel let her snap back to reality and Ash lowered to a kneeling position. Something metallic rounded the corner, the Geth being stopped a step later by Ash's salvo into his torso. Two further Geth went down thru the fire of Ash and Udina before a larger group attacked and pushed them back. A wild scuffle ensued, weapon firing in close quarter, Tali hacking shields and hindering the Geths' sensors as fast as possible. Then suddenly something large appeared. For a moment Udina thought it to be a Geth Prime but then he saw a large thick-boned skull ramming into Ash, pushing her to the ground before the Krogan charged further thru the tunnel. Udina raised his SMG but the salvos did nothing to stop his enemy. He was shouldered away and lost track of the Krogan for a few seconds as two of the Geth attacked him. At least he was unable to miss them on this short distance.

As he saw Ash rising to her feet again, Udina dared to turn around only to see Tali on the ground, her left arm visibly broken. Split seconds turned into minutes as he saw in horror how the Krogan lifted his heavy boot to smash it into her visor. _Not her_.

A wild untargeted biotic punch tossed the Krogan a step away, his boot only hitting the stony ground. But he was unimpressed. He even smiled as he returned the punch with a powerful attack that whirled Udina back against the wall. His head ringed. Udina didn't notice how Ash brought another Geth down and tried to get into firing position. He didn't hear Shepard's voice thru the comm now able to reach him after Liara opened the energy field. He only saw the Krogan raising his boot again in some kind of slow motion, Tali moving only very feebly. But he didn't see her there on the ground but some other girl, the pictures melding, his sight unstable.

_Not her_. His biotic amp's security lock was now deactivated.

_Not her_. Udina collected his biotic powers.

_Not her_. He lashed out with all his might, hitting the Krogan, smashing him into the wall, shredding the flesh from his bones, tearing him away on an atomic level. Udina's voice pierced the communicators of all, shocking them with the rage within while the bloody rests of the Krogan splattered the tunnel.

His body instantly began to shudder wildly as the biotic exhaustion kicked in. Almost neutral as if he was watching another person Udina realized that he never before had used this amount of biotics. _My teacher would be proud_, he mused for a second while his body toppled to the ground, his head smashing against the stone. And then all went dark.


	10. Chapter 10 Confessions

**Confessions**

_Normandy- Infirmary – On the way to Feros_

As silently as possible for a man of his build Shepard entered the infirmary and went to Dr. Chakwas. The three patients seemed to be at sleep now and she was willing to answer his questions. "How are your patients, Doctor?"

"Mostly intact, better than feared after what they've done. Ashley has a few broken rips and a concussion. She should be ready for duty in 24 hours, but I want her to be careful for another two or three days. Tali's arm is broken and practically her whole body is a single bruise. I'll hold her in the infirmary for at least three days, if only to force her to make a break."

Shepard smiled shortly. "Yes, would be better this way. A simple order to stay in her room she wouldn't obey I fear. I'm surprised that she is not in the machine room yet."

Chakwas shook her head: "I gave her a sedative. She should be sleeping for at least eight hours."

"Good. And what about Udina? I saw only a few superficial wounds."

Chakwas sighed. "His body is mostly unharmed, you're right. But … did you know that he has a L4 biotic amp? It wasn't in his file and I overlooked that information as I examined him on his arrival."

"An L4? I thought they're still in the pilot stage."

"They are. I have no idea how he had gotten hold of that. And his seems to be a special delivery. Apart from being stronger than the L3 his amplifier has a specialty: Udina is able to disconnect the security lock. That allows him a far stronger use of his biotics but it is very exhausting and dangerous."

Shepard paled. "And I assume he used that down on Therum?"

Chakwas agreed: "Yes, he did. Perhaps he thought it essential to save Tali but this … he has very nearly killed himself. When he awakens I expect you to have a very earnestly conversation with him."

"Be assured, I'll do that. No excuse me; I wanted to speak with Liara too."

Walking thru the infirmary he reached the room Liara had been given. After some eating and sleeping she seemed fairly ok again.

"Oh, Shepard." Liara put some notepads aside. "I was just perusing the data Dr. Warren gave to me. They are very interesting but I'll have to wait for Commander Udina to awaken. I fear I'll have to speak with him or better to meld. Without that …"

"I understand but that you'll have to discuss with him. But be warned. I expect him to have … reservations about that. Perhaps you'll be able to convince him but I wouldn't expect him to jump at the possibility."

Liara smiled weakly. "I understand. Many persons have problems with that, especially those without experience with Asari and biotics. I only hoped he would agree. He is a very strong biotic too. It shouldn't be too strange for him."

Shepard shook his head slowly. "We'll see." Fetching another notepad from his pocket he continued. "In the meantime I wanted to show you another file. This is an audio file Tali rescued from a Geth. It shows the rogue Spectre we're searching and an unknown Asari."

"Oh, I'll take a look but I haven't much contact with other … oh goddess."

Shepard had to act quickly to catch her from falling as Liara staggered her face completely pale. "Liara? Are you alright?"

"N … no. That can't be. This … I must … this … this is Shiala." She stayed silent for a minute, trying hard to recover. "She is an acolyte of my mother, had been since decades before I was even born. And as far as I know she is still with my mother."

Shepard's mind raced_. Could it be a coincidence? Shiala speaking with Saren and his Geth trying to catch or kill Liara? Hardly possible_. "Who's your mother?"

"She … Matriarch Benezia. I haven't seen her for at least twenty years. She was not convinced about my chosen profession. But she had always been a well-respected member of our community, a kind of religious and spiritual leader, a speaker of peace and tolerance."

"Could she have changed somehow, thru some dire events or other experiences? If this is Shiala there would be at least the possibility that this 'mistress' mentioned by her …"

"No, no, no," Liara shook her head violently. "She could never work together with Geth."

Shepard stared at her. _At least she believes that strongly and she seems to be very bad at lying._ "Alright, we'll see. Our next stop is Feros. With some luck we'll catch this Shiala there. I would like to have you in the ground team."

"Certainly, I'll prepare. But you'll see this is some kind of misunderstanding."

_Normandy- Conference Room – Near Feros_

With the Normandy nearing Feros Shepard had called his crew for a briefing. Even Tali and Udina were attending, Tali wearing her arm in a sling and Udina weak enough to not oppose Chakwas' order to use a wheel chair to get around.

"I researched what we know about Feros. It is a habitable world with two thirds of its surface covered by prothean ruins. Five years ago the ExoGeni Corporation started a colony on the planet. It founded a large research center there and a small colony, called Zhu's Hope. There are living around 300 humans in all. The most visible parts of the ruins are some large towers ExoGeni now uses. They are connected by a kind of concrete aqueduct."

"Prothean Ruins could be interesting for Saren. Anything else, about the Corp or the Lab?"

"Yes, it seems to be largely maintained by biologists and chemists, a bit weird for an archeology center. Leaders are Fai Dan for the colony and Dr. Juliana Baynham for the lab, a well-known and respected botanist. But what could be more interesting: with Garrus' help I was able to get the information that Ethan Jeong had been transferred to Feros a month ago."

Shepard interrupted Udina's discourse: "Should I know this Jeong? I think I never heard that name before."

Kaidan explained, disgust quite obvious in his voice: "He's an infamous administrator of ExoGeni. I thought they had disconnected from him. Seems that this was only for show."

Udina shrugged: "What did you expect from a large corporation? This Jeong had gained some 'reputation' for using drugs to enhance the performance of workers. With these drugs they worked longer and harder with less need of all those costly irrelevancies like holidays, hobbies or high-quality nutrients. Surely it was not directly … helpful for their sanity, bodily and mental."

Shepard made a grimace. "And now we have this highlight of humanity on Feros. Alright, prepare. I'll go down with Liara, Wrex and Garrus. Ashley, if possible I want one of those new energy rifles for testing. All others: recover! That's an order. Tali: recover, triple order for you."

_Normandy- Infirmary – Near Feros_

"Rory?" Udina flinched as he heard Tali's voice. He had feared this moment and tried to evade her as much as possible but with Dr. Chakwas ordering them to stay another night in the infirmary this wasn't real possible.

Slowly he turned around and used the moment to look more intensely than before at the new suit she wore. White and red it was, really much more form-fitting than her usual suit. He liked it. "That suit is nice, I'm happy that I found it. Are you able to move …?"

Tali smiled; then she nodded as she realized that he couldn't see her smile. "It is very comfortable. And with the new airlock I'm really able to change between the suits. This was … a real great idea of you, I thank you so much."

As Udina made a deterrent gesture, Tali growled. "Don't … do … that. You have been very friendly to me, it was totally unexpected. I mean" She blushed and hesitated, Udina's smile doing nothing to soothe her. "I mean not unexpected from you but …"

Udina gripped her and pulled her down on a seat. "I understand what you mean. Your people often are mistreated by other cultures. You have a bad and mostly undeserved reputation. I'm happy that I was able to help you at least a bit. If you need something else …"

He padded her arm shortly and turned around as if he wanted to sleep. But Tali only repeated her growl. "You don't get away this easy. Helping me with the cabin and buying this suit is one thing. But what you did on Therum rescuing me from that Krogan …"

Udina sighed: "You would have done the same. It was nothing special. I mean … you're worth that and more … I mean … you're welcome."

Tali's voice got very soft: "You've risked much. Dr. Chakwas said …"

"Karin is exaggerating. That's her job as a physician," Udina tried to play the issue down, but Tali remained unconvinced.

"No, she said that you disabled your security lock and used far too much biotics. It could have killed you."

"Karin is an old chatterbox. I wouldn't believe all what she says." Udina stayed silent, waiting for Tali to go away but she seemed to be disinclined to do so. After some minutes the silence was too much for him and he explained with a barely audible voice.

"I had a sister, her name was Cathleen. The name's meaning is something like clean and pure. She was two years my younger but somehow she had always been my big sister. Always she had been the reasonable one, the more trustworthy and mature. She looked after me, tried to soothe my juvenile improvidence. Yes, perhaps that a bit of surprise for you but I've been a very rebellious child, the head full of nonsense and never following any regulations.

After I crashed that car, the present of for my 18th birthday, my mother forbade me to drive again. Naturally I wanted to disobey and then … Cathleen wanted to see a presentation, something cultural I hadn't any interest in. But I used that event to get my will, used her fable as an excuse to break the rules again. I stole my uncle's car and convinced her to come with me. I was so happy, so proud. I had shown it to all of them."

Tali had to lean over his shoulder to fetch the next words.

"There was a truck. The driver … he was a normal man, no monster, no criminal, only a driver forced to make double working shifts. He was tired. He lost control. Many people died that afternoon. I survived … but Cathleen …"

As good as possible with her arm in a sling Tali hugged him. Slowly Udina turned around, not willing to suppress or hide his tears any longer. Gently he lifted his hand and caressed Tali's arm and shoulder.

"You remember me of her; you did since we first met. Your curiosity, your joy of life and your drive to make something better for your people, these traits I saw in Cathleen too. You're soft and weak sometimes, but also willing to give your all for things and persons you view as worthwhile to fight for. As this Krogan attacked you, I couldn't stand aside. I saw Cathleen again and losing you would have been as if I betrayed her another time."


	11. Chapter 11 Odd Behavior

**Odd Behavior**

_Human Embassy – Citadel_

With a grim smile Anderson watched Ambassador Udina working at his table. It still felt very strange to stand at this place and not to be on the bridge of his Normandy. No, it wasn't his Normandy anymore, now it belonged to Shepard. He knew the ship would be in good hands and he knew that it had been he himself that proposed this change but still …

A tiny part within his heart, very tiny and his mind very ashamed of it, dreamed of Shepard failing on this mission, of a failure that would allow him to go back. Always he had been the man on the bridge and certainly he was a good captain. But the Normandy, in spite of being only a frigate and not a dreadnought, had been the culmination of this part of his career. Now he was a flag officer, more occupied with administration and political games than with being a man of the military. And apart from stealing silver spoons from the council's table there would only be one way to leave the citadel again: the position of a squad commander. He would lead men in battle again, lead ships thru space, but only indirect. He would never again be 'the man on the bridge', the simple commander of a single ship.

"Good," Udina shoved the notepad away and looked up to Anderson, a hint of displeasure in his eyes. The two men didn't get along very well and the last weeks had only enhanced this dislike but the circumstances forced them to work together.

"I have some news for you. Shepard and your nephew have been successful on Therum. Dr. T'Soni has been secured and is willing to help them. There had been an attack on Geth on the digging site. Apart from Dr. T'Soni they have rescued around thirty miners from a mine near the digging site. There had been a few wounded among the crew, one of them your nephew."

For a moment he saw a hint of concern in his face but it was hidden very fast. Since Udina had forced Admiral Hacket to put his nephew into this 'Spectre-to-be' program he had never showed any signs of preferring him. He even seemed to dislike his nephew, a feeling that Rory Udina obviously reciprocated. This had done much to soothe the irritation Anderson had felt after getting Commander Udina on board.

"The wounds are not severe and he'll recover fast. Another thing you should know. You remember that Asari on the file we've got from Tali'Zorah? Dr. T'Soni was able to help us identifying her. This Asari is an acolyte named Shiala. She has been part of the retinue of Matriarch Benezia for a long time. With Matriarch Benezia being Dr. T'Soni's mother this attack of the Geth on Therum allows a number of very interesting conclusions. Dr. T'Soni claims that she had no contact to her mother for a long time.

The Normandy now is on the way to Feros, searching for this Shiala."

_Zhu's Hope – Feros_

"Stay away," Udina grumbled with a very irritated voice.

"But, sir, I've order to stay in your vicinity …" Jenkins was standing in front of Udina between the pitiful rests of the colony. His face was a show of sorrow after Udina scolding him the twentieth time.

"Jenkins, I swear you: I've saved your ass back on Eden Prime and I have absolutely no problem with correcting that if you continue to hassle me. What could happen to me here, I ask you? Go away and find something to make yourself helpful. The colonists need any help we may provide. I promise you to stay near Williams, but now go."

Jenkins gave him a very sad look but after a small nod of Williams he complied. With a sigh Udina secured his revolver again. That he even had thought about threatening Jenkins with a weapon was a sure sign that he still needed assistance, he knew that.

"He's a good man. A bit overeager but you can't scold him for trying to execute Shepard's order. And surely he adores you," Ashley tried to soothe him.

Udina only growled back. "I know, but that doesn't help in the least. And he only 'adores' me because I saved him once. He doesn't know me a bit."

"That's certainly not his fault," Ashley replied softly.

The frown was clearly visible on Udina's face: "You're proposing I should talk to him more privately? A bit of fraternization? That's unsuspected from you."

"You know that I don't mean anything like that. But you make it very hard to come to know you."

"Why should anyone? I'm not so interesting, only one more spoiled man from a good family."

Ashley only smiled back. After a few moments she pointed at the revolver Udina always wore. "So I have a question you so uninteresting spoiled man. This weapon … it irritates me. First I really thought it would be an antiquity but on Therum I had the impression that it is more than that."

Relieved to have a change of subjects Udina draw the weapon and showed it to Ashley. "It has been a present. It looks like a weapon of the early nineteenth century, like a revolver cowboys used in that time. And I suppose it was meant as a reminder that I'm no more a cowboy now but a soldier. In reality it is a fairly modern weapon with an eight-chamber drum, able to be reloaded very quickly. It uses titan bullets specially crafted to fly at a low speed enabling it to bypass most kinetic barriers. The barrel is longer than with modern guns and allows me to make very precise shots at up to 80 yards. I once thought about adding a laser-pointer but that would ruin the impression."

Ashley gave a raucous laughter. "Surely it would. It seems to be a usable weapon, but not the most practical one; even an eight chamber drum is not enough for a battle."

Udina sighed and pointed to the SMG at his side. "I know this and that's the reason I wear my old battered SMG around. But gradually you should know that I'm more of a liability with it instead of a help."

"Yes, I've realized that already. But the reason is that you use the wrong weapon. You can't handle this one because it uses to heavy shots in too long salvos. Your wrist is unable to steady that kind of recoil and so half of your salvos will go straight to the ceiling."

Udina studied his SMG for a while, thinking about what Ashley had said. At last he nodded. "That makes sense. Do you have any idea, weapon officer of the Normandy?"

"And I thought you would never ask," Ashley smiled. _She's so beautiful when she's smiling. Why has she to be smitten by that damned brawn-no-brain Shepard_? For a moment Ashley hesitated as she saw the expression on Udina's face but with a harrumph she continued.

"I thought about that. You could use another pistol, one with a larger magazine. A shotgun or a rifle would be too heavy and have too much of a recoil. But the best idea I think would be another SMG, a lighter one. I would prefer the Tempest. It has a very large magazine and uses very small rounds. The range is good, the recoil not very strong. We would only have to change the security. Normally the tempest fires long salvos of six rounds. We could alter this to shorter three-round-salvos."

"And you could do that? I … I would give it a try at least."

"Good, when we're back at the Normandy I'll do the needed work. But after that we have a date at the firing range."

With a soft voice Udina agreed. "I would like that."

Some unpleasantly silent moments followed before Udina reared up. "Where is Tali?"

"Tali? She was over there with that colonist." Ashley looked around; neither Tali, the colonist nor Jenkins could be seen.

"Tali, where are you?" even thru the comm the concern in Udina's voice could be heard. After some moments he relaxed as Tali responded: "Jenkins and I are with Macha Doyle. She's a mechanic of the colonists. We'll try to solve the colony's water problem. Something interrupted the water supply."

"Next time you make an excursion I want to know beforehand. This is not some kind of picnic but military business."

"Yes, sir, Commander Shep … I mean Udina-sir, I'll try to remember, sir." The irony in her voice was impossible to overhear and the broad grin on Ashley's face evenly obvious. "Always the big brother you are, don't you?"

Udina growled. "At least you're no more saying that I'm ogling her ass."

She shook her head. "No, but you have to admit it is well-shaped."

"That's none of your business or of anybody else within the crew."

His growl only caused Ashley to laugh even more. "Now you're only the more sounding like her protective brother. You should …"

A call thru the comm interrupted them. "Rory, this is Tali. We're under fire. Here are some Geth, at least six to eight of them. We're covered in a defensible position but …"

Her voice more than once was interrupted by the sounds of automatic fire. "We're coming." Udina hastily used his Omni to get her position. As he looked up he saw Ashley standing in his way. With a very somber voice she demanded: "You'll use no biotics. You may only come with me if you promise not to use biotics."

Udina snarled and tried to circumvent her but she always stepped in between. "And how do you think you could force me to comply, soldier?"

Ashley bestowed him a not very amused smile and pointed her rifle to his feet: "I'll put a bullet thru your foot. Promise me … sir"

"Yes, I promise. Now go." Ashley seemed not to be totally convinced but complied. Hastily they hurried in Tali's direction, following the noises of Jenkins' old Lancer Rifle. As they neared the position there really were a number of Geth. Three of them down, the rest trying to reach positions to get a shot at Tali and Jenkins. They were mostly hidden thru the pipes of the water supply and Ashley stopped to think about how to shoot them without damaging the pipes.

In that moment Udina's body flared with the blue light of biotics and the Geth started to rise into the air. With the Geth now being easy targets they needed only a few moments to end the danger. As Udina passed her, Ashley gave him a look like 'you promised' but he only shrugged. "Never believe an Udina; you'll only meet with disappointment."


	12. Chapter 12 Botany

**Botany**

_ExoGeni Enclave – Feros_

„You have no right to enter the labs. They are property of ExoGeni and …" Ethan Jeong's rambling was grinding on Shepard's nerves and the commander being the man he was this was no good plan of the administrator to stay healthy and alive. Without forewarning he drew his sword and pressed the pointy tip at his throat. "Simply shut up," Shepard growled and left it to Garrus and Wrex to convince the guards to lower their weapons again. Certainly the gladius was not the weapon of choice in most situations but it had its merits and sometimes the cold metal did wonders, its barbaric shape calling something from enemies no simple gun ever could.

"Mrs. Baynham asked me to look for her daughter and even if I hadn't been inclined to go into the tower I would now. I'm not interested in any sobbing secrets of your corporation. I only want to stop the Geth so that I may go on with my search. If you have nothing interesting to say, then go away and let the adults speak alone."

Wrex smiled broadly as Jeong left like a kicked puppy and even forgot to begrudge that none of the guards wanted to fight with him. "Alright, Mrs. Baynham, we'll look for her. But if we don't come back in the next hours you should leave with your people and try to reach Zhu's Hope. Most Geth on the way should be destroyed now and the colonists surely would appreciate any help."

Juliana Baynham sighed with much relief. "We would have gone hours before if not Jeong had declared that all colonists were dead and the Geth on the way. I'll wait three hours for any information of you; then we'll leave."

Shepard went back to the MAKO where Kaidan just finished his checkup. "The MAKO is alright. The rockets didn't much damage and the sensors are ready again."

There had been some fights on the way following the aqueduct, smaller Geth and even some armatures with anti-vehicle weapons. But luckily with Kaidan and Garrus he had very competent men around. "Good, we'll drive in 5. It is not so far now. When we reach the tower we'll have to find a way to stop the Geth, perhaps somehow to remove that drop ship that's clinging there. We'll have to see. And now we know that at least one scientist is still there. Dr. Baynham had contact with her daughter an hour ago. She is somewhere in the tower's cellar now. We'll look for her first. She could be of use with her local knowledge."

_Zhu's Hope – Feros_

"Don't make such a face. It was the best way to destroy them without damaging the pipes." Since they had reached the colony again Udina had tried to soothe Ashley.

"I know that. But you could have asked. I didn't demand to waive your biotics out of fun. Dr. Chakwas will be furious if she …" Gently Udina gripped her arm. "Then simply don't tell her. She doesn't need to know. I've done it and it helped. And I'm still fine."

Ashley didn't give in and scolded him: "It is that easy for you, yes? Do something and don't stand to it afterwards. Perhaps you've been right about being only a spoiled man. Certainly your dealing with your uncle and other politicians rubbed off on you."

The face of Udina went from an unhappy smile over a hint of pondering regret to an expression of simple rage as he followed her words. Ashley felt herself gripped by the collar and biotically pushed against the wall, causing an anxious squeak from Tali, the Quarian following the conversation silently so far. Trembling with rage Udina stepped near Ashley, his face almost touching hers. "Do not compare me with my uncle. Don't … ever … do … that … again."

_ExoGeni Tower – Feros_

"Lyzbeth? We're no Geth, we're friends. Your mother sent us." Shepard forced Wrex to lower his shotgun. As planned they had reached the tower and instantly went for the cellar, destroying the surprising small number of Geth on their way. Almost immediately after entering the large cellar complex, someone had been shooting at them, luckily without any skill and only hitting the walls.

Hesitantly now a young woman left her cover, the gun in her hand wavering. "You know my m … mother? I'm so sorry that I …" Her waving with the gun did nothing to soothe Wrex but quickly she stored it away. "I was so stupid. I didn't leave quickly enough and then there were Geth all around."

"You're secure now. But we need your help. We have to go into the tower and stop them. But we can't pass the entrance. There is a kind of force field."

"Yes, I've seen that. It seems to be powered by the ship clinging to the tower. But you … we … should be able to enter thru the entry over there. I tried to leave that way but there were Geth too. At least I have seen no energy field."

"Good, we'll give it a try. Stay back with Kaidan and don't draw your gun." Lyzbeth hastily nodded and went to Kaidan, almost gripping his arm before she tried hard to assume a controlled outlook.

_Zhu's Hope – Feros_

"Sorry, Rory, I shouldn't have been such an ass." Ashley had been looking for a while to find Udina and now here they were on a balcony overlooking the colony. He stayed silent, only responding as Ashley turned to walk away.

"I shouldn't have reacted like I did. You're right, sometimes I try to make it easy, to forget what I've done and what the consequences had been. Other times you have to do that or lose your sanity. Since seven years Uncle Donnel had been my guardian. He is administering my wealth and had been selecting my schools. I'm in the navy because of him. And because of that all people expect me to be the same he is, to share his opinions, to be his ear and mouth all the time. No one believes that I reached my position thru talent but that he supported me in my career."

"I don't think that way. And Adams and Pressly do it neither. I've spoken with them about your studies at the MIT and they were duly impressed by your thesis. I've to admit that I didn't understand a single sentence as I looked into that file but if they both say …"

Udina smiled at her. "You're really not fully stretched with your work, yes? That you've time to look into …"

The reverberation of a rifle shot interrupted them. Shocked Ashley and Udina looked down to the colony only to see Jenkins running after Tali thru the alleys between the containers. He had his gun lifted and shot at her back while he ran. Tali made a wild dipsy-doodle between covers and hurried towards the exit of the colony.

"What the hell," Ashley shortly wondered before she hurried down the stairs. Udina simply jumped down, stopping his fall with his biotics, before he followed Tali and Jenkins. A number of colonists stepped in, some of them armed. Unsecure what to think of the situation Udina decided against shooting them and only forced them away with biotic pushes.

As he rounded the next corner he saw Tali struggling with one of the colony guards. Jenkins stopped and targeted her. A biotic pull and the rifled left his hand and flew towards Udina or so he thought at least because Jenkins didn't let the weapon go but was drawn with the weapon towards his officer. Stunned by the sight Udina stopped the pull and watched Jenkins standing up and turning to Tali as if nothing had happened. Then Ashley appeared between the containers, running straight towards Jenkins and hitting him with her gunstock at the jaw. She had to repeat the strike two times before the soldier went down.

Hastily they retreated with Tali forced to leave Jenkins behind as more of the colonists appeared. What could have happened?

_ExoGeni Enclave – Feros_

"Commander Shepard? Here's Udina speaking. We have a problem in the colony. The colonists are acting very strangely. And Jenkins … he attacked Tali, tried to shoot her. We've retreated to the Normandy but have to leave him behind. All others are well. The colonists are besieging us but have not weapon able to breach the hull."

"Udina, here's Shepard. We're on the way back. We've solved the Geth problem but already heard about your little problem. It seems that ExoGeni made some experiments with the colonists. It is a kind of mind controlling spore from a plant they shelter below the colony. We have to try to knock the colonists out without killing them. Prepare some stun and daze grenades. We'll try to reach the Normandy."

Looking ahead Shepard whispered to the rest of the vehicle's crew. "I hope we'll get thru the colony without a fight. If we're attacked try to shoot at the legs and Wrex knocks them out. We'll save the few stun grenades we have for larger groups."

"What about the grenades we've got from Dr. Baynham," Kaidan asked.

"I would like to not use them. She was unsure about the side effects. These colonists should be full of the Thorian's spores now. Perhaps the grenades would kill them."

"We should have realized from the start that they acted a bit strange," Garrus stated.

Shepard only shrugged. "We could have but we didn't. They seemed a bit confused, yes, but that was hardly a surprise with Geth running rampant all around. It is too late now for that. Let's simply try to reach the Normandy."

_Below Zhu's Hope – Feros_

"I'm the voice of the old sprout. You're unwelcome here. Humanoids can't be trusted. We dealt with one of your kind and he betrayed us. Only controlled humanoids are allowed to live. Your life is short but it has already been too long."

Garrus sighed. They had been able to reach the Normandy with only one colonist dead. One of Wrex blows had killed him, instead of knocking him out breaking his neck. The grenades from the ship had allowed them to overwhelm the rest of the colony but afterwards it had gone only worse. A kind of plant humanoids, caricatures of the human colonists, attacked them on every step. Nearly immune against normal weapons they had to use shotguns, incendiary ammunition and brute force. Shepard's sword had been especially efficient, the commander more than once decapitating his enemies.

And then they reached the Thorian. He was huge, really huge. No one thought it possible to kill the Thorian with simple guns. But as they pondered about a better way, something slipped out of the plant. It seemed to be an Asari and Liara gasped as she recognized Shiala. But it wasn't her, not really, but a copy, a body to use and speak thru.

"Understand, so no deal with you," Shepard responded almost friendly before he lifted his shotgun and tore the 'Asari' apart with a headshot. "Let's go and find the weak spots of this thing. He has to have some or this will be an awful work of chopping."

_Normandy – Infirmary – on the way to the Citadel_

"How is she," Shepard asked Liara as she turned around. Since they arrived at the Normandy with the rescued Asari she had been caring for her together with Dr. Chakwas.

"We'll hold her sedated for another few hours at least. Her mind is recovering. I've melded with her and she is on her way back to mental sanity. I'll repeat the process in a few hours. Thank you for rescuing her."

"You're welcome," Shepard responded. "But you seem to be troubled. Is it something about her or your mother?"

"Yes … I've seen some disturbing things in her mind. But please wait until she awakens. I don't want to … irritate you with false news."

Shepard stared at her intensely before he slowly nodded. "Good, I'll wait, but not for too long."


	13. Chapter 13 Victory Party

**Victory Party**

_Normandy – Conference Room – on the way to the Citadel_

"My name is Shiala. I've been an acolyte of Matriarch Benezia, Dr. T'Soni's mother, for nearly two-hundred years. In all the time I had been her ardent and trusting follower. She was my leader in all religious, spiritual and moral things, I would have trusted her opinion in all questions, have always tried to be like her.

But one year ago this started to change. Matriarch Benezia has been in contact with the Spectre Saren for a while; she has worked with him on some occasions for the council. But then she saw the path in front of him, how it would lead him to destruction. And she saw something in his heart worthy of battling his fate. To save him, to rescue his soul and soften his heart, she went to him and became his follower. Before she left Thessia she asked us who wanted to go with her. Only a handful of her acolytes and a dozen members of her bodyguard did.

But she erred, made a massive mistake that cost her all. You must know that Saren has a ship. From Commander Shepard I've heard that the Normandy already encountered it above Eden Prime, this ship formed like a claw. It is gigantic, more than two kilometers long and named 'Sovereign'. I don't know what kind of ship it is, who created it, haven't seen it in combat. But at least the engine is very strong and from what Saren said I know that he assumes her to be much stronger than even the Destiny Ascension, the strongest Asari Dreadnought so far.

But it is not this battle prowess you have to fear the most. Somehow the ship or Saren using the ship is able to influence others. Remember that Matriarch Benezia is almost one thousand years old and even among us Asari she is assumed a very strong minded woman. But this didn't rescue her from the Sovereign's influence. It works not the same as the Thorian's spores but more in the long run. It whispers to your mind and slowly converts you. Some people are simply broken but others remained almost unchanged except for their strong belief in the sovereign and Saren's plan. These followers are the most worthy for him.

I had been influenced this way as well. I believed in his plans and tried all possible to further them. I was even ready to sacrifice myself to help him, willing to be given to the Thorian in exchange for his knowledge. In the end it saved me because the Thorian broke the Sovereign's hold over me and with you killing the Thorian I'm free again."

The assembly stayed very silent, thinking about the news they got and watching Liara and Shiala as the Asari embraced each other, giving them some comfort. Shiala obviously was still recovering from her experiences and Liara … her fears about her mother had been proven. After a moment she gently pushed Shiala back and smiled softly: "Go on."

Shiala nodded and after some moments to clear her mind she went on with her story. "Saren is very interested in information about the Prothean and their enemy, the Reapers. I assume that you've never heard about them. As far as I know they had been a kind of machine race kind the Geth but much more evolved. They were able to destroy the Prothean 50k years ago and then … they vanished. Nobody knows where they went. Saren was able to lay his hands on the Sovereign and to persuade the Geth that it is a ship of the Reaper. I'm not totally convinced that he's right but the Geth believe it. And they believe that Saren is the way to bring the reapers back. They think that the Reapers are their machine gods. So you may say this complete mess is some kind of religious crusade of the Geth with Saren their Prophet.

He never told me about his plans; I think that even Benezia only knows a part of them. But he is looking for Prothean knowledge and ways to mind control. This had been the reason for his actions on Feros and Therum. But his plans had one large problem. The knowledge the Protheans stored in their beacons is not thought to be read by Humans … or Turians."

She turned around to Udina whose face suddenly shut up and forced any emotions from his expression.

"From Liara I know that you've seen this Prothean knowledge too and that you're unable to interpret them so far. Is this still correct?"

Udina glared at both Asari and answered with a hoarse voice at last: "It is correct. She wanted to meld with me to have a look at those pictures. I didn't allow it and I've not changed my mind about the matter."

"May I ask why …"

"You may not. It is my decision and I have nothing more to say about it. Go on with your fable, it was diverting so far," Udina growled back. Shepard looked at him with signs of discontent but he seemed disinclined to order Udina around in this matter.

"Alright, I've said that he 'had' this problem. He solved it with the help of the Thorian. This intelligent plant is very old. It had been on Feros when the Protheans left and was able to conserve some of their knowledge thru absorbing Protheans into his body. These Protheans are long gone but their knowledge was still there as I merged with the Thorian. He divided a bit of it with me, gave me the Cipher. With this Cipher it is possible for other races to interpret the knowledge of the Protheans. I gave this knowledge to Saren an dhe is now able to interpret the pictures from the beacon. But the knowledge about the cipher is still in my mind."

All eyes turned as Udina growled angrily: "Nice plan, Liara. But it doesn't work."

Puzzled the Asari stared at him, obviously completely not understanding what he was talking about.

"I deny you the chance to meld with me and know you heighten the stakes with this outrageous story of Shiala. Do you really think that I would fall for this fairy tale?"

Liara tried to answer several times, gulping hard before she was able to take control of her voice again. "How can you belief that I fabricated this? It is all true. You have to trust …"

Udina snarled, ignoring that nobody in the room seemed to be of his opinion and even Ashley with her well-known mistrust against the alien crew members holding to Liara: "Trust you? An Asari? I would trust Wrex to invade my mind before I allow it to an Asari witch. Not in this life, sweetheart. Not in this life."

_Flux Night Club – Citadel_

"Raise your glasses on our freshly baked no-more-sobbing Spectre," Ashley turned around to Shepard, a broad grin on her a little blushed – not only from the alcohol – face.

"May he kick the asses of his enemies for a long time," Garrus added.

Slowly they gulped down the whiskey, not their first this evening after the meeting with the council. With a voice more sober than the others Kaidan added: "It certainly had been the time to make that decision. Shepard and Udina, the first full Spectres of Humanity."

A wave of nods went thru the small gathering. After the council declared Saren a renegade – believing the report Shiala had given in most parts – they had also ended the probation time of Udina and Shepard and made them full Spectres. They even got some brand new equipment and shiny badges to prove their new status. Most of them had gone to the flux Nightclub to have a small party, only Shiala had excused herself and Udina left with a sour face after his first drink to answer a call of Admiral Hacket. Since then hours had passed, hours of drinking whiskey, giving small speeches and saluting each other and especially Shepard. A small sworn group they were now, in spite of race, gender and temperament. Not everyone would all other call their friends but in this moment all would declare that he trusted the others. And this, Shepard thought, was a big step.

A very big step it had been especially for Ashley. She had even supported Liara in her discussion with Udina. Forgetting his normal reserved behavior he gripped her hand and pressed it slightly, not letting her hand go afterwards as she smiled at him. Garrus and Tali intensely watched the scene, both trying to hide their interest and their thoughts about it.

_Normandy - Ashley's cabin, dock D24 – Citadel_

Staggering with fatigue and alcohol in her blood Ashley entered her room, lowly whispering to herself: "Ashley, you're a bad and stupid girl. Sarah would scold you for …"

She shook her head and smiled sheepishly: "No, she said he is sweet to look at, she would understand."

Slowly she sacked on her bed, slumping in her cushions. She stared at the ceiling of her room as if she would try to read something into the shadows there. After a while she sat up and began to open the buttons of her jacket, giggling as she realized that she had closed them the wrong way before she left Shepard's cabin. The jacket went with the rest of her clothes to the dirty laundry, most of it spoiled thru whiskey and other things she blushed a bit as she thought about the last two hours with a pleased smile on her face.

_How will it go on? He's not the type for fraternizing, the same as I. But perhaps …_

Something caught her eye. Turning around, searching for … there, the small light told her that there was a message for her. _Has he …?_

But a look at the message head declared that it was an urgent message from Udina. For a moment Ashley thought about reading it later but with a sigh she opened it, unwilling again to do something she had been trained from her youth on: _Never forget your duty. A Williams is a soldier first, second and third. _

With her brain clouded from whiskey she needed some minutes to understand the message. It had gone to her and Kaidan. They were ordered to be ready for leaving the Normandy under Udina's command at 0600, prepared to be away for five to seven days. A look at her clock forced a moan from her throat. Three hours of sleep only, Ashley wailed. Hastily she gulped some medicaments to suppress the alcohol and started to wrap her equipment, knowing too well that it wouldn't help to go to bed now.

_What is his plan?_ Ashley pondered shortly, but forced the thoughts away. _He'll tell me … in three hours. _


	14. Chapter 14 Old Comrades

**Old Comrades**

_Corvette Scylla on the way to Sol System_

More than once since they entered the large cabin on board of the Corvette Scylla Udina had given her 'that special look'. Ashley tried to hide behind her cup of coffee but it was to no avail. She simply sensed him watch her. With a low growl she sat the cup aside on the board near the cot, one of the four cots in the large cabin they had been given for the short voyage.

"What? What do you want to hear, Udina? That I fucked Shepard last night? That I don't regret it fraternization or not?" She instantly regretted to have said these sentences. Knowing that Kaidan gave her a look of disappointment about her unprofessional behavior didn't help but it was this sad hangdog look that really disturbed her. And her exhausted body and fogged mind was in no state to battle her temperament.

Slowly he shook his head. "No, I didn't want to hear especially that." After a sigh he turned around and reached for his own cup, obviously to occupy his hands and avert her eyes. "But it is good that you found some luck. You deserved it, especially after …"

"Especially after what," Ashley asked, feeling how her anger slowly was rising?

"I've seen your face when you spoke about Eden Prime, about the soldiers that died there. And you're still not over that memory. You tried to forget or at least make us believe so, but it needed only this letter from Mr. Bhatia …"

Ashley had the impression of a mule kicking her straight to the face. In seconds tears were filling her eyes and her hands working frantically as she remembered that letter. Samesh Bhatia, husband of Nirali Bhatia, one of the soldiers under her command that died on Eden Prime, had asked her for help. As it seemed the body of his deceased wife hadn't been returned to him for funeral and all tries to get an explanation had been stonewalled. She hadn't spoken about it with Udina but as the Communication Officer on the Normandy she should have expected that he would know.

Her voice was only a very low whisper as she responded: "She had been one of soldiers; she trusted me and her husband trusted me to bring her back. And then not only she died but …"

"I know what happened. She was turned into a husk. After our 'victory' her body was found and could only be identified because of her tags. She had been brought to the Citadel for further examination about the 'Husking'." Ashley's eyes went wide as she heard Udina speak about Nirali, obviously knowing for about the events than she did.

"Why … where …" she gasped, unable to finish the sentences. With a look of sorrow in his face he answered: "Ridein, you should really learn to ask others for help. You were not able to help. Is that your fault? No, it is not. But it is your fault that you simply gave in instead of searching for help. I needed two calls to get a name and a 200 Credit tab of a whore … err, exotic dancer … at the Chora's Den to convince the responsible scientist that he could do his examinations with one less cadaver. She's in the store room of the Scylla now but I would suggest that you don't look into the coffin."

Ashley stayed silent for several minutes, her face completely pale; her hands slowly patting her jacket as she tried to work for an answer.

"Why have you done this?" Her final question was full of wonder.

"That's a stupid question, don't you think so? I may not look like one but I'm a marine too. We don't leave a comrade behind. And from your response to Mr. Bhatia I knew that she was not anybody too you. How could I restrain from helping if it cost me as little and it helped others as much? By the way: After our mission on Luna I organized a 24-hour-break on Earth. I expect you to bring Nirali to her family in that time before doing anything else like visiting Sarah. Is that clear, Gunnery Chief?"

She had to start several times before Ashley was able to croak: "Understood, Commander."

_Normandy – Liara's Quarter – 30 hours before_

"Yes, naturally I'm willing to do that. I only just not understand why …" Liara's voice slowly went down under the stern look in Udina's face.

The commander had been waiting in her room as she returned from the party with Shepard and the rest of the crew. First she had been angry to see him looking thru her notes about the Prothean Beacon but his very first sentence had been enough to close her mouth.

"I want you to meld with me, now." Udina had simply declared. Liara still felt unsecure about reading emotions in human faces but she was secure that there was still fear in Udina's eyes, but also determination.

"I'll leave tomorrow and won't be with you on Noveria. There will even be the chance that … something happens to me while I'm away. I still don't trust you but this is not the time … you know: duty. It all comes to duty. Shepard may need my knowledge and I need you to understand it. I assume you have melted with Shiala before she left the ship and you may part that Cipher knowledge with me … and with Shepard?"

Her mind racing she needed some moments before she could press an answer: "Yes … yes we did. And I could … share with you. You're sure that you want to …"

Angrily he interrupted her: "No, I'm quite sure that I don't want this. But that makes no difference, it simply has to happen. And it has to happen now, before I depart and before I change my mind anew."

Udina stared at her for some long moments, making her very uncomfortable. "You should remember this: I allow you to part that Cipher knowledge and to get my knowledge about the beacon. You may part this knowledge with Shepard. This is all what you're allowed to do. I know enough about the melding to realize that you can't avert seeing other things in my mind. But you're bound to never share this with others. To make it very clear to you: should I ever learn about you telling others anything else about what you see in my mind, I'll put a bullet thru your brain. No examination, no defense, simply you, me and a bullet."

The expression on Udina's face and the tone of his voice caused Liara to shiver uncontrollable. And then realization hit her like a hammer_. He hadn't denied me to meld with him because of his mistrust but to protect me. I have heard rumors about him being some kind of agent before entering service on the Normandy. There could be secrets in his mind that could endanger him, me and all others involved. And now he asked me to share nonetheless, in the same moment telling me in his own way about the inherit dangers and allowing me to back away_.

"I understand and I won't abuse your trust. I will meld with you …"

_Corvette Scylla – nearing Luna, Sol System_

"It is time to speak about our mission on Luna," Udina started to speak. Apart from him, Ashley and Kaidan there were the five members of a special squad team in the room.

_Four men, one woman, military type, uniform without insignias, perhaps SWAT or something similar_, Ashley shortly wondered. The soldiers had only given nicknames and seemed content to be mostly apart from the others.

"We'll go down in thirty, set to the surface 5 clicks north of a secret facility of the navy. I've been there for some months two years ago so I should be able to direct us around. The facility encompasses a total of three underground buildings. We'll have to enter each of it, knock out any resistance and shut down the main computer. Overall damage should be kept down. The navy wants this facility back and not destroyed; else they would use a bomb and not sent another squad."

"What do you mean with 'another squad'? And what kind of resistance have we to expect?" the leader of the team asked, his already annoyed voice getting angrier now.

"There has been a try to knock the facility out three days before. From the twenty-two marines they sent only five survived. This is the second and last try to solve the problem with hand weapons."

Pinning some blue prints on the wall Udina explained further: "As is said there are three buildings, each with a single entrance. These are protected by automatic gun turrets, two turrets near each entrance. From the former squad's report we know that the turrets besides the eastern building have been knocked out. In the buildings we have to face a large number of smaller mechs, military defense drones and a few static guns. Some of the doors have additional shields for protection. There will be no living defender but the central computer will do what he can to avert our intrusion."

Somber he looked around, staring one after the over in the eyes: "This is the main problem: the scientists in this station worked on an AI and it seemed they had at least partly success. But this AI now isn't listening any more but started to attack humans. It killed the inhabitants of the facility and separated it from us. You have to be very cautious in there."

_Luna, Sol System – 2 clicks north of Science Facility_

Silently the team was following Udina towards a small hill that would allow them to look down on facility. Their leader hadn't said a word since Udina had folded him like a recruit in a boot camp.

"No, you're not my second-in-command. Should I fall Ashley will take control of the situation. To speak quite frankly: I don't need you, I don't like you and I don't really trust you. I've only chosen your team because I need Falcon …" Udina shortly looked at the single woman of the team "and the rest of your team. Stay quiet and you'll escort us. Annoy me further and I'll leave you with the backpacks."

_No, he's not really the polite type_, Ashley pondered, wondering shortly about this show of trust Udina had made. _And why did he decide to make me his second and not Kaidan_?

As they reached the hill Udina ordered them to put the large case on the ground they had been carrying and opened it. Looking up from the content, Ashley blinked heavily. Instantly she gripped the weapons as Udina shoved the heavy rifle in her hands.

"These are Odessa tank assault rifles. Normally they are utterly useless, much too heavy and large to carry around." Shortly he had a boyish smile on his lips. "But I always longed for a situation to use them once. Now it is the time. We have three of them, one each for Ashley, Falcon and me. You see the facility over there and the towers. Each has a local control system on it. With a shot of such a rifle you may destroy it. But you need two other bullets to put the shield out for a timespan of two seconds. Falcon, you'll organize the parallel shots of Ash and you. I'll shoot a second later to take the control out. We'll make two runs at each turret, even at the one thought to be put out of action. The former squad lost six men to these turrets; I don't want to lose anyone. Okay, perhaps Drummer I may, he's real annoying with his constant humming."

The others shortly laughed and even Drummer, the heavy gun soldier of the team, smiled sheepishly. "Let's go."

_Luna, Sol System – Eastern building of Science Facility_

Leaving three team members for holding watch Udina and Ashley searched the former squad for any survivors, not really expecting any. They had been torn apart by drone crossfire as it seemed and gone down after putting more than two thirds of them out of action.

"Take it," Udina tossed Ashley one of the assault rifles of the team. "Kaidan and I take one for Wrex and Garrus."

"Scavenger," the team leader hissed but instantly stopped to ramble as he saw the ice-cold anger in Udina's face. Without dignifying him with an answer Udina explained to Ashley: "These are new Tsunami Assault Rifles. They are built for precision. I expect a field report from you about its performance later."

Ashley simply nodded. "Udina, as you used your Omni to put those drones out …"

Udina smiled weakly: "Yes, that was Tali's voice. I fetched some of her programs before we left. I really would have liked to take her on this ride, but the Navy Command had qualms about her trustworthiness. But with these programs she is somehow with us nonetheless."

Ashley smiled back: "Yes she is."

_Corvette Scylla on the way to Citadel_

"Thank you, Udina." For a few seconds Udina was unable to leave the pictures of the facility behind. Two members of the team had been killed, Drummer one of them. And without Ashley's fast reflexes and iron nerves Falcon would have died too in that last wave of drones. But in the end they had been successful, the Navy Command content with the outcome and now they were on their way back to the Citadel.

"Have you reached a conclusion there, Ridein" he simply asked her?

"In a way, yes," Ashley answered lowly. "Bringing Nirali back to her family was … good. I told Samesh how much you helped."

Udina made a grimace. "You're too honest and honorable sometimes."

Ashley grinned back: "I only wanted to stain your reputation as a cold-blooded spoiled upstart. I know how much that annoys you."

The smile was only faint and quickly Udina's face was one of thoughtfulness again as he gripped the glass of red vine that he poured himself an hour ago and which was still untouched. "I was appointed as Comm Officer on that facility, have never been part of the computer team. It was only after some weeks that I slowly realized what they were after and even then … Gut feeling that something will happen was not convincing enough. They assumed me only to be one other biased fool. At least they were willing to accept my redeployment application, perhaps only to keep me silent. Could I have done more? Could I've stopped them? Back then I saw no possibility but now … This was the reason for my posting as a logistic officer before I went to the Normandy."

Ashley sat on the armrest of the couch and shortly pressed Udina's arm. "I'm sure you did what had been possible for you. It was not your fault that they overlooked the dangers." To distract him from his dark thoughts she asked: "But you were not a simple logistic officer, you've been there as a military intelligence agent, am I right?"

A thin smile crossed his lips. "If I would answer this question, I would have to shoot you afterwards."

Ashley's smile was much broader. "At least you don't say that shooting me would hurt you more than me."

Udina slowly sipped some of the vine, hiding his face and thoughts behind the glass.

_I wouldn't only say this, Ridein_.


	15. Chapter 15 Ice Cold

**Ice Cold**

_Normandy – Conference Room, on the way to Noveria_

"I've seen your interview with Westerlund News. Khalisah al-Jilani can be a real bitch sometimes. I've to admit that I was impressed how well you fared, Commander." Shepard didn't deign Ambassador Udina's praise a reciprocation as he heard really good the incoming 'but' in that words.

"But you should have stayed silent about the role Saren played in the events. The council wants to stay discreet about that."

Shepard showed only the faintest smile as he responded: "Your nephew already warned me about that. I'll have it in mind next time."

Was it surprise or relief what he saw in Udina's face, Shepard shortly wondered? "Good, that would be better. And to my regret I saw something that told me about another interaction of your crew with the press. Emily Wong, an investigative journalist on the Citadel, went to publicity with news about Fist and his contacts within C-Sec and the Citadel administration. This news weren't meant for publishing, they besmirch the reputation of the Council. I expect you to look after leaks in your crew and cram it. Udina out."

For a moment Shepard silently stared at the turned off communicator. "You didn't tell him that it had been his nephew who told Emily about the bribes."

Slowly Shepard turned around and smiled. "No, I didn't. And neither did I tell him about your part in this." His smile deepened: "Don't assume me to be deaf and dumb only because I'm a marine, Garrus. I knew it. But after he melded with Liara in spite of his … reluctance … I think he has earned a bit of reticence on our part."

Silently Garrus watched Tali, the young Quarian absent-minded drumming on the desk with her three-fingered hand. The implicated reason for Udina allowing Liara to meld with him – the danger of not coming back and therefore willing to share his knowledge – had been enough to make her nervous. He knew that Udina somehow saw some kind of little sister in the Quarian but he was unsure if Tali responded in the same way. But he couldn't really help her now. He didn't know more about his mission, only that it would be very technologically based and that Udina had asked Navy Command to allow Garrus and Tali to be with him. But they had denied that request and demanded that Kaidan and Ashley went with him. _Two humans …_

"We'll reach Noveria in some more than 18 hours. The landing will be on the Hanshan Spaceport. Hanshan has a reputation of being mostly off-limits for standard police regulations. They have their own security force and most of the spaceport is owned by the Binary Helix Corporation. Matriarch Benezia is a major stockholder of this corporation, so our actions there may provoke some resistance. What exactly she is doing there, we don't know. Only that she had landed there a few days ago and didn't leave the planet until now.

With Udina, Kaidan and Ashley on their own little mission, I'll go to Hanshan with Liara and Garrus at my back. Wrex, you and Tali are prepared to join if we should leave the spaceport. I really hope we have some luck on Noveria. I would like to know more about Saren's plans and not always to stumble after him, always three steps behind."

_Hanshan Spaceport – Noveria_

"Perhaps I may be of help, Commander."

Shepard looked up from his glass. After Administrator Anoleis had declined any assistance and showed no interest in helping him to find Matriarch Benezia, they went to this small bar where he hoped to forget his anger at least for a few minutes. But now this woman appeared. What was her name, Paganini or something like that? She had been of help at the security control, mediated between him and Captain Matsuo, but her bonus had been sharply diminished after realizing that she was the assistant of this ass Anoleis.

Shepard nearly sent her away as he saw Garrus' faint nod. So instead of cursing he waved her to take a seat. "And which help it is that you may offer?"

Gianna Parasini looked around before she explained with a low voice. "I'm not only administrator Anoleis' assistant but also an Agent of Internal Affairs. I've been sent to Noveria to examine some charges of bribery against Anoleis. Not that bribery would be such a heavy crime or unknown in the corp's administration but he makes too many false decisions, hurts too many valuable trading partners. Bribery would be a good excuse to get rid of him. Now you may ask: and how could that be of any interest to me? Let me explain.

There is an actual incident, a local trader shut down by Anoleis' security. Supposedly he sent his men because Lorik Qui'in, the trader, made some dubious transactions. Actually his men are searching for some files in Lorik's rooms that may prove Anoleis' wrongdoings. I know that Lorik is looking for someone to get these files back. Anoleis' men were unable to find them so far, so they have to be hidden very well.

I want you to speak with Lorik, learn where these files are hidden, retrieve them and give them to me instead of Lorik. With them I should be able to prove the charges against Anoleis."

Shepard stared at her, his eyes blinking. "Assumed I belief your story and assumed I help you … what could I get in return?"

"I would help you in getting information about Matriarch Benezia, the allowance to leave the spaceport and a vehicle suitable for the local weather conditions."

She pointed to the window. The snow storm was still raging out there and Shepard already had wondered about how well his MAKO would far under this conditions. Garrus nodded anew and forced to trust the ex C-Sec in matters like this, Shepard agreed.

_Hanshan Spaceport – Garage – Noveria_

"I owe you, Krogan," Captain Matsuo slightly bowed before Wrex, the Krogan obviously content to be back to action at last. He had been very grumpy after Garrus told him about the fights against parts of the Hanshan Security in Lorik's rooms.

After a conversation with Lorik Shepard, Garrus and Liara had been there to retrieve the searched files and had to kill Sergeant Sterling and a handful of her men. But Parasini had been true to her word, given all information about Benezia – the most important that she left to Peak 15 a few days before – and bestowed them a MAKO modified to weather the snowstorm.

And then, after entering the garage, the Geth attacked. Hidden between some cases and their circuits down to evade detection they suddenly attacked, killed most of the watching guards and nearly the leading Geth Prime had smashed Captain Matsuo too. She only survived thru the well-timed attack of Wrex, who now simply responded: "Shepard said that you're honorable. Honorable guards are seldom enough and should be protected."

"Wrex? I hope you're done with flirting. I need your broad ass over here. You have to enter first this tiny canister, so hurry."

Showing Matsuo a last broad grin, Wrex left her alone.


	16. Chapter 16 Interlude: Opinions

**Interlude: Opinions**

_MAKO – Way from Hanshan Spaceport to Peak 15 Station_

With a small sigh Garrus leaned back in his seat. Tali was driving the modified MAKO they'd got from Parasini and Shepard gunned the turret weapons. The Turian would have liked the situation much more with them two switching their roles. Not that Shepard was bad in handling the weapons – actually he had no problems to destroy the small number of Geth that had been left behind by Benezia to watch the path to Peak 15 – but Tali's behavior was grinding on his nerves. Sometimes he nearly forgot how young she was, almost a teen in terms of her people. And now she really behaved like one. With much joy and overly loud she was handling the MAKO, exploiting its machine to its fullest. More than once Garrus was sure that she deliberately had chosen a path which allowed her to let the MAKO make a small or not so small jump, each of them escorting with a high pitched shout.

Wrex sat in the middle of the rear bench, silently and unmovable as a rock. Liara to his left had adopted the color of an unripe plum. Minutely he expected her to lose her breakfast. Trying to block this sight out he wedged his body in the seat and closed his eyes.

One month ago he would laughed everybody in his face if he dared to suggest that Garrus would be here now, under the command of a human Spectre and working together with a Quarian, a Krogan and an Asari. What would his father say to this evolvement? He hadn't been happy when Garrus thought about quitting C-Sec and becoming a Spectre himself_. If you do something, do it 100 percent_. He would never understand the necessity to leave a part of his life behind, the work for C-Sec, and start something anew, a new phase.

In a way he had liked his work. This mix of technic, weapons and social interaction that were part of the life of a C-Sec had been the blood of his life. Hunting the bad, protecting the weak had been his credo. But in the same speed as he moved up thru the ranks thanks to his abilities, he had been more and more disappointed by the ways of C-Sec and the Citadel Administration. More than once there had been decision he couldn't stand, couldn't agree with. Men had gone unpunished because of their station, people undefended because they had no speaker in the council.

And more than once he had been scolded for using too much force in the pursuit of criminals. _Okay, this hasn't changed much_, Garrus added to himself with a look at Shepard.

It has been a point of argument between them and it was one of the greater differences between the two human Spectres. While he was a killer machine on the battle field, Shepard would never chose methods he thought to be unmoral. Poison, torturing, threatening or simple outright assassinating, that would be way out of his style. Udina on the other hand, while surely not cruel, had none of these qualms. In his eyes a criminal thru his chosen profession allowed the lawmen to do everything needed to persecute him. This was a sight Garrus completely shared and surely one of the reasons why he would call Udina a comrade, if not friend.

_Friend, that sounded weird_, Garrus thought. Udina never made a secret of his deep seated hate he held towards the Turians. Garrus assumed it had to do with the Turian – Human war some years ago but he wasn't sure. Perhaps Udina simply saw to many points of possible conflict. Of the greater races surely the Turians would be the most likely to have a full-scaled war with the humans in the future. He despised the Turian Councilor the most of the three and let no chance unused to say something bad or diminishing about the turian army. But more than once Garrus heard a tone of respect in Udina's curses and the simple fact that he seemed to reciprocate Garrus' feelings showed his antipathy – that else could too soon be confused with racism – in a complete other light.

Asari on the other hand Udina seemed to despise really, without exceptions or any constraints. Certainly there was a deep-seated jealousy mixed with the hatred, a jealousy founded in the superior biotic abilities of the blue-skinned Asari. Irrelevant how talented he was, insignificant how much he trained, Udina would never rise above the level of a weak Asari. The long lifespan, the high level of education and overall sciences, there were many reasons to envy them. Even their special type of procreation seemed to be far above the more traditional way of Humans and Turians. To be able to procreate with any other race and any member of their own, this was surely something many dreamed of.

At least these were the reasons Garrus assumed to be the ones underlying Udina's hatred, not that he ever had spoken about them openly. And while Udina from the start had made steps to differentiate between the turian race and Garrus, he never did the same with Liara. Quite to the contrary he obviously despised her even more than the average Asari. Garrus had the impression that it was more a simple gut hatred, nothing that Udina would be able to describe. And those hatreds were the most arduous to break.

It had been a surprise for the team to hear about the melding of Udina and Liara before he left, for most of the team at least, but not for Garrus. Duty, this concept in the same moment so easy and so difficult, clearly was the guiding light in Udina's life. It didn't come thru his education or simply thru his family. And Garrus judged that Udina was not duty-bound from the core. His nature was not that of a Samurai, he wasn't a born marine. To the contrary he had a dark core, a sometimes violent nature and a bulk of prejudices and negative emotions deep in his heart. Some of those had surfaced as he countered Shiala's speech with the accusation of being a trap of Liara. There hadn't been any base for that assumption, only his hatred and mistrust.

But he struggled. And he struggled very hard. Garrus always had the feeling that Udina would look above to something or someone, some kind of paragon he wanted to follow, an angel sitting on his shoulder he wanted to please. His heart and his soul were at a constant strife, something Garrus understood all too well. In his eyes the good deeds of Udina were only worthier thru this struggle. And this conflict only made decisions like the melding with Liara so adorable.

Surely, Shepard would have made the same things, decided much faster to follow this route. But he simply had to do what his heart told him. He was pure from the core, the hero of fables or the fantastic son-in-law all mothers dreamed of. There was no dispute to solve, no dark feelings to conquer. Garrus' mandibles twitched shortly as he tried hard to remember anything dark about Shepard. He seemed to be a little on the sexist side when it came to military things, but that was hardly something a Turian would see as negative as some of the female crew members.

And then there was his way of seeing other races. Shepard had this vision of a great family with papa Turian and mother Asari, sweet little sister Quarian and big brother Krogan. He was unwilling or unable to really grasp the differences, the benefits and detriments of the different races. And while he seemed to like all races – perhaps apart from the Vorcha, those vultures nobody liked to have around – he always judged them from a human view. Human-centric his world-view could be called perhaps. And he made no difference between a race and single members of it. Wrex was no worse or better than other Krogans in Shepard's eyes.

Udina could be seen as his opposite. He didn't like the other races; he even hated and mistrusted many of them. But he was able – at least if not speaking about Asari – to see individual members of those races as very special and worthwhile of his respect and friendship. And most of them, Garrus was sure, he saw as equals to humans. He even assumed that Udina would make this difference between individuals and race for humanity too, not preferring a human because of his race but only on an individual base.

_Do you treat other races worse? No, I'm fair, I treat everyone the same bad. _Garrus quietly sniggered.

It was well-known on the Citadel that the humans tried since a long time to get a seat at the council. Ambassador Udina had been an eloquent speaker of this position. If asked about it he would put his money on Commander Udina opposing his own uncle on that while he assumed Commander Shepard to be – at least at this one point – following the Ambassador's opinion.

A violent hit threw Garrus against his seat belt and he was only able to stop his head from connecting with the metal edge in front of him in the last moment. A new and especially loud cry of joy forced him to open his eyes. A deep sigh escorted the realization that Peak 15 was in sight now. _The way back I'll drive or simply jog_, he swore to himself silently.


	17. Chapter 17 Old Enemies

**Old Enemies**

_Peak 15 – Noveria_

"What in the name of the Goddess are these things," Liara asked with a face full of disgust, nervously stepping around the carcasses of what seemed to be some kind of insect? As they ventured farther into the station, battling a small number of Geth under the command of a Krogan who acted not really intelligent and far too reckless even for his race, they had reached a large room with some cages built from armored glass. They were damaged and their former inhabitants running around: insects with large claws, the smallest the size of a dog, the largest double the weight of a Krogan and very fast too.

At least the enemies had been able to soothe Liara's anger. The stares she shot against Tali and the smile that had been playing around her lips had troubled Garrus a bit. _As if she was seeing Tali's face on those Geth. _And her face color was back to a normal blue.

While the rest of the team could only shrug, it was Wrex that answered her question: "Rachni, these are Rachni, the enemy my people had been sent so long ago to destroy. We killed them, killed them all as we thought. And as thanks they bestowed the genophage on my race."

Hastily, partly to avoid the matter of the genophage, Shepard responded: "I heard that all of them would be dead. And now … could it be possible that they are the reason for Benezia to be here, to create a kind of army from them?"

Instead of answering directly Wrex kicked one of the carcasses: "Did you see how they attacked? They fought like varren, as a swarm and wildly, without any tactic. This was nothing like the stories from the past. Rachni had been an intelligent race with queens as their rulers and a kind of caste-system. They were able to space-travel and use modern weapons and technology, not some crazed animals."

"Perhaps that's a consequence of being reared in this facility. Perhaps they found organic material and simply cloned them. They could be of use as a kind of expendable shock troopers, at least in the eyes of Saren," Garrus mused.

"But that is disgusting," Liara shuddered, "to remove their intellect and demote them to a life of … living claws."

"It is, but we can't be sure. Let's see what awaits us further in," Shepard stopped the discussion.

_Rift Station – Noveria_

"I'm a bit astonished that there is no welcoming committee," Garrus sniggered. After bringing the power plant back to work and repairing some controls and cables, all the time fighting against small groups of Geth and Rachni, it had been relatively easy to activate the station's VI Mira and follow Benezia to this outlying research station with the rail train.

"Don't be disappointed, I'm sure you'll have a chance or two to fire your weapons," Shepard tried to soothe him. But deep within he was troubled too. As Garrus he had expected to meet further resistance. This station would have been a very good point for an ambush. Why hadn't she used it? Could she really think the Geth in Peak 15 to be enough to hold him back? Or was she simply too occupied with other, more pressing matters? And what could these matters be?

"This elevator is still operable," Tali stated after a quick look around. "The other two are shut down and we would have to force the doors open".

"Wrex and I go down first. If something happens I trust you to find a way to help us," Shepard smiled at Garrus, the joy not reaching his eyes. It was clearly obvious that Garrus didn't trust this 'invitation' more than he did.

The elevator descended not very fast and after readying their weapons they had some time to simply wait for the end of the ride. Wrex was lowly humming to himself, stepping from one foot to the other and forcing a smile on Shepard's face. Contrary to himself the Krogan seemed to like the expectation of some enemy awaiting them. And obviously he was right because only seconds after the elevator reached its destination and the doors opened someone opened fire with automatic weapons. Wrex shielded Shepard with his broad body and charged the handful of humans behind the cover of cases forming something like a fortified position.

But it did nothing to stop Wrex. He enabled his barrier, threw some cases and humans away with his biotics and started to fire at them with his assault rifle. The hit humans were pushed around like dolls and Shepard was relieved to realize that Wrex had chosen concussion rounds. They would knock them out, perhaps break a few bones but not kill them. He scolded himself for not thinking about that himself. _It is good to have soldiers around with two centuries of battle experience_, he thought shortly.

Leaving it to Wrex to knock the last soldiers out, Shepard gave Garrus a sign to follow and watched the exit of the room. "Security personnel, I would assume," Wrex drily stated. Shepard nodded and went to one of them wearing some kind of insignia on his shoulders. "I hope he has a good explanation for opening fire on us. I hope he didn't confuse us with Geth or Rachni, at least not me." Wrex gave a rumbling laughter.

_Rift Station – Infirmary – Noveria_

When Captain Ventralis and a few of his people that were still able to fight left the infirmary, Shepard and his companions stayed behind.

"So Benezia is still here and had been expecting us, "Garrus asked. Ventralis, who had been very happy to awaken again after his bad decision to attack them, had told them about Benezia's information that some dangerous criminals were following her. With her being a major stockholder of his corporation there had been no choice for him but to follow her commands. Only now, knowing Shepard to be a Spectre, he was willing to change his loyalties.

"I don't know if she really expected us or if it was only a kind of security measure. Certainly she wouldn't assume Ventralis and his paltry bunch of men being able to stop us," Shepard responded.

"Yes, that would be a bit insulting otherwise," Garrus agreed. "And what can we do now?"

"We could try to help Dr. Cohen," Liara interjected. She had used the time of Shepard speaking with Ventralis to look around in the infirmary. "These scientists had been working with Rachni toxins. As Mira went down, the security was breached and they were poisoned. Dr. Cohen needs our help to enter the closed labs and secure the antitoxins. Ventralis so far has denied risking his men in doing this."

"I don't like this idea too," Shepard responded uneasy. "Have you been able to learn more about how they got hold of the Rachni in the first place?"

"Dr. Cohen doesn't know much about that. But he said that there is a survivor, a Volus named Han Olar. He belonged to the science team that had been given the task to raise the Rachni."

"Good, then I want to speak with him. After that we may look for this anti-toxin and then we'll visit Benezia." He looked sharply at Liara and realized her discomfort. It couldn't be easy for her to see her mother after such a long time and in this situation. But he couldn't delay that meeting further.

"Tali, you could help Dr. Palon with getting some of the computer systems back online. And Liara, you should care for the wounded as long as Dr. Cohen is with us in the sealed lab." With that he left the infirmary, Wrex, Garrus and Cohen in tow.

_Rift Station – Sealed Lab – Noveria_

Han Olar had been grief-stricken for leaving behind his colleges as he run from the Rachni. Only after Shepard spent a few minutes with him trying to soothe him, the scientist had been able to speak about the experiments. How they found the egg and tried to clone the Rachni. How surprised they had been to detect that it was a Queen's egg, their decision to take the young away from the queen and how they showed no sign of intelligence, only hatred and rage. "Perhaps the Queen plays a much more integral part in their life as we thought. But the decision had been that it would be much easier to control the young if they're out of their queen's influence."

"You're sure that this is the anti-toxin," Shepard asked Dr. Cohen. The physician had shown strong nerves so far, staying out of danger and not interfering with the group as they had to fight smaller groups of Rachni in the lab. He had been looking thru the notes and collected some chemicals.

"It is, it should help them," Cohen responded. "But perhaps we can do more. Dr. Palon mentioned a safety measure further in the labs. There should be a console to start a neutron purge of the lower labs. It should kill most of them."

Shepard thought about that. The Rachni seemed only to be a kind of animals now. And killing the bulk of them would lessen the pressure on Ventralis' men. He nodded: "We'll try that."

_Rift Station – Infirmary – Noveria_

"You have a knack to make the simplest things interesting, Shepard," Wrex grumbled, putting Dr. Cohen down on his own feet again, whom he had carried to hasten their flight.

His weapon ready Shepard looked back in the corridor they had passed some seconds ago. Only dead Rachni were to be seen. Then the doors of the elevator closed and slowly he started to rise. "Twenty-five seconds," Garrus drily stated, "much time before the countdown is finished."

"There is a security door halfway up. When we're past it, you should close it," Cohen informed Garrus. The Turian nodded and prepared the commando, waiting for his Omni tool to show him that they passed the door. "Door is shut, 8 seconds," he informed the others.

From the neutron purge itself nothing could be felt, only their tools showed them that there had been a kind of radiation deadly for all organic beings in the lower levels.

"How should I have known that the purge has a two-minute-countdown?" Shepard asked Wrex with played anger.

The Krogan simply bite back: "A good commander always knows. But those young officers today …"

The good mood of having a job well done quickly dissolved as they reached the infirmary. Liara was nowhere to be seen and Tali on the ground flat-faced. Cursing Garrus hurried to her side and carefully turned her around. A sigh of relief left his throat as he saw the signs of concussion rounds that had knocked the Quarian out. Why the unknown attacker used them and not a deadlier sort of ammunition he had no idea, but at least she was not seriously hurt.

They carried her to one of the benches and waited for her to wake up. _I've promised him to protect her. I tried and brought her into danger instead_, Shepard thought, his mind racing about the possible explanations. His decision to leave her behind and not bring her to the sealed lab had seemed to be a prudent one. How could he have known that someone would attack her here?

"She's away," the whisper startled them. Tali was unable to move more than her head. "She attacked us; shot Liara down … this Asari … Alestia."


	18. Chapter 18 Motherly Love

**Motherly Love**

_Thessia – 57 years ago_

_A whiff of annoyance could be detected on Shiala's face, her steps a touch too fast and strong despite her attempt to appear calm and friendly as she had been most of the time in the last decades. The vicinity of Matriarch Benezia had done much to improve her ability to control her temper and to find her inner balance. But today was one of those days..._

_There she was sitting, in the library's window as Shiala had expected to find her. And the book in her hands would not be of the kind that found the approval of her mother. _

"_Liara," the tone of irritation was heard to overhear, but again the young asari maiden didn't react, didn't even flinch. Did she want to annoy her further or was she really so absorbed with the content? "Liara," not before Shiala laid her hand on the page did Liara look up, deep confusion in her eyes that instantly melted away the displeasure in the acolyte's mind. Instead a small smile her heart felt hard to suppress crept onto her lips. How could she be angry about her love for knowledge, irrelevant how insignificant that knowledge seemed to be._

"_Liara, we were waiting for you. Have you forgotten? We had an appointment," Shiala asked her, her voice revealing the deep sisterly love she had always been feeling towards her. It was nearly impossible for her to forget that moment nearly fifty years ago as she had seen Matriarch Benezia and her little blue daughter the first time, the venerable Asari presenting her child to her household._

"_I … I'm sorry, Shiala, I've forgotten the time. This book …," Liara's voice get muddled as she remembered this book would hardly find the approval of her mother. As always Shiala would follow her mother's opinion. Not for the first time she wondered if her mother would not have liked Shiala to be her daughter instead of her. She always was so balanced, so dignified and every moment trying to be like her, not to please her mother but because Shiala never swayed from fully believing that Benezia was a kind of goddess walking the earth of Thessia. _

_Her emotions must have showed on her face or in her aura, another time proving that she was not really her mother's child. Shiala sat down beside her, gently put the book away and gripped her hands. How could I compete with her, Liara herself asked? _

"_Liara … look at me." Shiala had to take hold under Liara's chin and lift it before the maiden dared to look into Shiala's soft eyes. "She loves you. With every fiber of her heart your mother loves you. You don't have to prove anything to her. I'm not a competitor. I choose to be her acolyte because her way is my way. But it has not to be yours. You have only one duty: to find your own way and fight for it. Your mother doesn't understand your love for history and perhaps she'll never will. But she adores your … enthusiasm and your willingness to follow this path. And I don't love you less because of your … weirdness." Her smile was responded by a very weak one on Liara's lips. _

_Feather-like was Shiala's kiss on Liara's cheek, before the acolyte stood up and hold out her hand: "Let's go to your mother, Liara."_

_Security Lab – Noveria_

A curious sound reached her ears and stirred her up from her deep sleep. Instinctively she tried to move only to find her body unable to follow her mind's commands. This feeling … it was so familiar. Liara opened her eyes and could only stare in bewilderment.

"Mother," her coarse voice whispered. There she stood, Matriarch Benezia, venerable leader among the Asari, voice of peace and tolerance, spiritual and religious leader … and her mother. But instantly she sensed that something was amiss. Her stance, the tone of her voice, how she bowed her head to the side as she listened to that damned Asari that had surprised her, shot her down, her and … "Tali?" Her shout coaxed Benezia and Alestia to turn around.

With a smirk Alestia answered Liara's question: "She's alive, I used the same non-lethal ammunition on her I used to knock you out. That you should really be the Matriarch's daughter, nearly impossible to believe how easy I …"

"Quiet," Benezia's command instantly silenced the Asari and caused Alestia to stare very angry at Liara. As she neared her daughter, Liara held in a kind of biotic stasis field, her features were harsh and without compassion. For a moment Liara thought to see a hint of confusion in her mother's eyes but within seconds that disappeared again. For a heartbeat Benezia slightly staggered but then she found her composure again and her voice showed nothing but iron determination.

"Your companion, Shepard, what does he know about Noveria? Why is he here? What are his plans?"

"Mother, why are you doing this? You ..:"

"Silence, it is not your place to ask questions. Answer mine."

Liara's mind raced as she looked around. Alestia had to be a new acolyte of her mother. There were others she had known before, but none of them had been that close to her or her mother as Shiala. Members of her mother's bodyguard she saw, a few Geth and … "Goddess, is that the Rachni Queen?"

Without turning around to the large glass container with the largest Rachni within Liara had seen so far, Benezia surprisingly responded: "Yes, she'll be the mother of a million warriors. The scientists made fatal errors, we won't repeat them. As soon as the blizzard will leave the region our ship will take us away to …"

Her voice died down, another time leaving her mother staggering and forcing a confused expression on her face. And this time Liara sensed the shift in her mother's aura. Something was battling in her mind. "What happened to you, mother? Why are you doing this?" Perhaps it was the love and care in her voice that reached the last bit of her own mind and free will. Benezia's face softened and …

"Matriarch Benezia, enemies are approaching," Alestia's angered voice cut thru the moment and forced away what Liara had been able to pull forward. "Four enemies, Shepard and the rest of his team, they're nearing thru the northern entry."

On Benezia's command her guards went into position, the Geth nearest to the door were Shepard would be appearing. "Mother, don't fight him. Mother …" but this time Benezia was not willing or able to react, instead staring at the door that opened now. Instantly the Geth opened fire but no one was standing there. A second later something passed the door and flew towards the Geth. On its impact at their feet it exploded with ear-shattering noise and a stunning flash, overloading the Asari's eyes as the sensors of the Geth.

The sounds of automatic weapons and a heavy shotgun preceded the uproar of shattered Geth. Within seconds the Geth were down and two Asari followed with small, nearly harmless looking holes in their foreheads.

The following chaotic battle proceeded in front of Liara's eyes as an unreal nightmare. A biotic attack hurled Wrex halfway thru the room and left him unconscious at least. Garrus, a bullet hitting him into a shoulder, was forced to fight on with a pistol. Shepard, his sword stuck into the breast of an Asari was battling unarmed against two others. Only Tali seemed unhurt apart from the signs of Alestia's former attack. All around dead and heavy wounded Asari were on the ground.

Liara nearly missed how the biotic stasis around her crumbled. She could only stare and watch her mother. Benezia so far had been doing nothing to help her guards, leaving it to Alestia to lead them. Only now she moved. Nearly gently she raised her right hand, concentrating on her biotics and proving why she was this respected among her people. Three stasis fields like the one she had created around her daughter now closed around the bodies of Shepard, Garrus and Tali, leaving them helpless and at her whim.

Slowly she left the middle of the room and neared Shepard, Alestia at her side with her drawn gun. With a hint of curiosity she looked at the Spectre like a scientist would watch a foreign insect. "So young, so fragile," her voice whispered. A few more steps and Benezia was almost in range to touch him. "Tell me, Shepard, first Spectre of the Humans, what has been your plan on Noveria? What do you know about … her?" She pointed to the Rachni Queen in the container.

She released the bindings a bit to allow him to answer, but Shepard only shook his head. "You'll follow Saren only into doom. If you don't stop him, then the Reapers will destroy us all as they did with the Protheans before."

Benezia slightly nodded: "So you've seen the pictures too?" She followed his look to Liara. "Ah, I see. She helped. And you have the cipher, yes? And the other Spectre, Udina, what does he know?" For a few moments she watched Shepard who now kept silent. "You don't want to answer? Why fight on? Your battle is lost." But again he only shook his head and pressed his lips together.

Benezia turned around and looked at Garrus and Tali before she ordered Alestia: "We'll see how determined he is to stay silent. Shoot the Quarian, knees first then elbows and if he's still unwilling to answer …"

"Mother, no, you can't," Liara pleadingly begged her mother, but there was only determination in Benezia's face. With horror the asari maiden watched Alestia going towards Tali. "No," Liara hurried forward and obstructed Alestia's view towards her target. "You can't do that."

The smirk on Alestia's face broadened to a deep smile. "You were never worthy to be her daughter." As a rabbit would stare at a snake Liara watched Alestia raise the weapon, the blackness of the barrel pointing at her head, the content smile, the finger around the trigger …

Trembling but unwilling to go away Liara waited for the unavoidable. But instead of the blooming smoke around a bullet the next thing she saw was the body of Alestia exploding into tiny bits of organic material.

Liara unmoving, her mother staggering, the stasis fields crumbling … For a long time Liara was unable to understand the changes about her mother. Slowly Benezia was crumbling to the floor and leaned against a working station. Her face one of confusion, her eyes dull, she whispered with a very low voice: "Liara, where are you?"

"I'm here, mother," she hurried at her mother's side and went to her knees. Tenderly her hands gripped her mother's face. "I'm here, mother, with you."

Weakly Benezia lifted her hand, caressed her daughter. "It has been so long, Liara, so long." Tears seeped down their cheeks as they embraced each other. "I never wanted this, Liara." Liara put a finger on her mother's lips. "I know, Shiala told me about Saren, that you wanted to help him."

"Shiala? Is she …" Liara nodded: "We rescued her from the Thorian. She is free again, has her own will. She gave me the cipher."

Very weak Benezia smiled. "Then you know … know that you must stop him. Here …" She pressed an OCD into Liara's hand. "That's what he wanted, that's what I gave him, the location of the Mu Portal. He needs it, want to use it to go … somewhere." Benezia gripped her head, pain on her face as she obviously fought to go on. "The Rachni found the portal long ago and thru their racial memory they delivered this knowledge to the queen. I invaded her mind and … you must stop him Liara." A gurgled cry of pain left her mouth.

"Mother," Liara whispered. Pressing one hand against her temple Benezia used the other to caress her daughter's cheek. "I was always so proud of you, Liara. You were the best daughter I could …" Another cry interrupted her. "It is coming back, it is too strong. I … can't … resist. Liara, help me … Liara … free me from its grip … kill me before I lose my mind again."

"Mother, no, mother, please," Liara cried, but her mother only wailed in pain. "Liara," a last cry before her eyes slowly dimmed. Nearly unable to see anything because of the tears in her eyes Liara draw her pistol and raised it as she felt arms gripping her from behind. "W … what," Liara asked as Garrus kneeled beside her and forced the pistol from her hand. "Not you, Liara," Tali whispered into her ear, her arms holding her in an iron grip. Helpless Liara watched as Garrus put the pistol's muzzle against Benezia's breast. He waited a few moments and after a last nod of Benezia he pulled the trigger.

Only now did Tali release her, allowed Liara to embrace her mother, sobbing and weeping for a long time.


	19. Chapter 19 Little Deeds

**Little Deeds**

_Corvette Scylla – nearing the Citadel_

Udina hugged Falcon heartily and padded her on the ass. "It was good to see you again in action, sweetheart."

The young sharpshooter picked his ear, drew his head to the side and gave him a long kiss on the neck, leaving behind a red mark. "That's only to remember me, Rory. Holla back, if you've enough of waiting for her."

The smile on his lips was not very easy. "You know me to good."

"I do. And I would be a lot more disturbed if … she's not so bad, saving my ass on Luna and all that."

"She is, only has a too good taste as related to men."

"Good," Falcon smiled naughty, "gives me hope."

As she left the ship, Udina detected Ashley and Kaidan watching him. They had been too far away to hear them, he hoped, but the kiss mark was clearly visible. He blushed and turned around to avoid her look.

"You've known her before?" She asked with a neutral voice.

"I did, we've been together … on a few missions I mean. Had been a few years ago as I was still Lieutenant. She is very good in her job."

"I saw that," Ashley responded, leaving it unspoken what she meant.

_Normandy on the way from Noveria to the Citadel_

Tali sighed and slumped into the seat besides Garrus and Shepard. "She's still pretending that everything is in order, the death of her mother isn't disturbing her and all that nonsense that she told you before."

Shepard nodded with a troubled face: "I fear I've done it badly. It is not my favorite pastime to soothe widows and orphans."

Garrus wondered: "Perhaps Shiala is able to help her. She had known Liara and her mother for a long time." Tali nodded silently, thinking about some other one able to help Liara.

"By the way I hope that my decision don't came back straight in our faces to let the Rachni Queen escape."

"I wondered that too, Shepard. I had not expected that you would decide this way."

"If I had been alone, I had decided another way, Garrus, irrespective of her word to hold peace from now on. But Wrex bade me to do so."

"Wrex? Why … especially him I would have assumed to more likely kill her the moment he was back to his senses."

Shepard smiled thoughtfully. "Yes, that would be the Krogan way, not? But he is a very unusual member of his race. He said that it had been an error to make genocide with the Rachni, that nobody should have the right to extinct a complete race."

He stayed silent for a while before he explained. "Did you know that his father had been the former leader of Clan Urdnot, one of the greater Krogan clans? There had been some kind of battle between him and his father and he had to kill him. Wrex told me that afterwards he had enough of the modern wrong tracks of his people. That's why he decided to leave his clan. His brother Wreav is now leading the Urdnots. I've been gathering information about Wreav after Wrex told me. In my opinion it was a very bad move to leave him as the new leader. He seems to be a collection of all that negative virtues other races despise in Krogans."

"Yes, he is very unusual," Garrus agreed. "Perhaps we could persuade him to go back to Tuchanka if all this is over. His people deserve a better fate."

_Human Embassy – Citadel_

"How could you decide to let her live," Udina scolded Shepard with a high-red face. "It hadn't been out of nothing that the old council decided to let the Krogans loose to kill this insectoids. They will be a danger in only a few decades."

"Uncle, I think Shepard explained why he did what he did. In this event I would support you but that's too late now to change. Perhaps we can send someone to investigate what the Rachni are doing later. Now we have more pressing things to do."

Shepard nodded, thankful that Commander Udina was standing by his side in this discussion despite his other opinion. "We now know that he was looking for the Mu Portal and we have the information about its position. But we still lack any idea about where he wants to go. The Mu Portal has a large number of possible targets. The council promised to contact their respective intelligence agencies and their Spectres if there is any sign of Saren's activity."

"Or of Nihlus," Udina interjected. "Don't forget that somewhere out there is another Spectre waiting for his release."

"You think he's still alive", Shepard wondered.

"I don't know why not. Surely Saren didn't capture him to hide him in the ground somewhere else. At least we have to look; he deserves not to be simply forgotten."

"That's the first time you said something nice about a Turian," Shepard smiled.

Udina grinned back: "Please don't tell Garrus."

_Alien Embassies – Citadel_

Shortly Shepard thought about Liara. It had been hard work to persuade her to go back to Thessia with the corpses of her mother and the other Asari that had died on Noveria. Shiala was with her and he hoped dearly that she would be able to have a positive impact on her mood. In her current condition she would be more of a danger than an asset. This kind of outwardly neutrality was too often only a sign of a nearing emotional explosion. He had left it to her to decide if she wanted to come back afterwards. With them waiting for news and preparing for a little expedition by order of Hacket she had a few days to order the funeral.

And he, Shepard smiled grimly, used a please to leave the Normandy for some hours. He really had to make it up to Udina that he had offered to show Rear Admiral Mikhailovitch around the ship. The commander of the fifth fleet and nearly superior of Anderson – he at great length had explained that the Normandy should have been assigned to his fleet later – had been an unpleasant and ill-tempered visitor, nothing Shepard liked to have around. Udina would fare much better with him, he hoped.

As he passed the entrance to the Embassy of Volus and Elcor he shortly remembered the message of Sylvie. Her brother had been sergeant in his platoon before he went to the N7 training and he hazily remembered her face and that she had always been a very emotional girl. Alright, now five years later she wasn't a girl anymore but a young woman and prepared to be trained by Consort Sha'ira.

Shepard wasn't sure what the duties of a consort would be, even his search in the net hadn't improved his knowledge but only confused him even more. Advice, entertainment and conversation, he had learned. Her first acolyte Nelyna was known for her massage technics. That surely caused him to wonder if … but no; in that case Sylvie wouldn't work for her.

In her message she told him that there had been troubling rumors about Sha'ira in the last weeks; that she wasn't as discreet as she always claimed and was certainly a condition for her job.

"Ambassador Xeltan I assume?" Shepard addressed the Elcor, wondering as always how to read his reactions. Not that he was the only one with this problem. The Elcor even went so far to add explanations about their not existing intonation to every sentence. That could take a while.

_Chora's Den_

He gulped down his second whiskey and looked over to the turian General on the other side of the bar. Ambassador Xeltan had directed him here to speak with General Septimus, a formerly well-known and respected officer of the turian army who seemed now to be a bit on the downside of live. At least his behavior in the last hours with way too much alcohol and no short numbers of exotic dancers around him hadn't been what he expected from a war hero.

How could he start? Shortly he wondered if it had been better to fetch Garrus before going to Chora's Den. But he had no idea if the two Turians would really get along very well. Sighing he stood up and slowly went to Septimus table. To his relief the officer seemed to know him and waved him to sit down.

"Shepard, isn't it? Have heard much about you, mostly humbug but that's always a good sign to start," he laughed, his smell of alcohol all over the table.

"Yes, I am. I always thought it is better to have many enemies. Otherwise the live gets too boring fast. As far as I know you have your own count of enemies, dead and alive, General Septimus."

The Turian grinned a bit sheepishly. "Yes, had been wonderful times out there. But look how it turned it. Now I'm here on this boring station, the only Asari willing to entertain me some paid dancers, at least since …"

He slowly stopped to speak and Shepard asked: "What happened? A man like you surely has not to pay for entertainment."

"Hadn't always been like this. Only a few weeks ago there was this Asari, Sha'ira, a wonderful woman, beautiful, intelligent and adorable."

"Consort Sha'ira you mean? I heard about her from Xeltan." Septimus in a few moments become much more somber and Shepard silently cursed as he realized that his tactic or at least his face mimic wasn't as good as hoped.

"Xeltan, yes? He told about me, I assume. And you thought you could walk in and sound out the old drunkard."

"I'm sorry; I didn't want to debase you. I hoped to get some information about her and why … you know, these rumors about her. Xeltan told me that you started at least some of them. But now I have the impression that you personally think a lot better about her." _Should I go on_? "And yes, you certainly look a bit like an old drunkard now. I hadn't expected to see you in this condition."

Septimus snarled but stayed silent for a few minutes, thoughtfully looking into his near empty glass. "You're right, I had better days. I didn't take my quarrel with her very well. I hoped she would respond my feelings but …"

"I understand, but if she is worth of your feelings than she surely isn't worth these rumors now."

Slowly the Turian nodded and put the glass on the table without drinking the rest. "You're right. I owe you, Shepard."


	20. Chapter 20 Trading Partners

**Trading Partners**

_Chora's Den – Citadel_

"Not that I abhor being invited to a, "shortly Udina looked at the bottle with a hint of disgust," bottle of mediocre whiskey in this beautiful surrounding." The asari dancer that had shot him an inviting look and swayed her hips a moment ago, hastily scuttled away as she realized the expression on Udina's face. "But what again are we doing here?"

Garrus snickered. "Rory, you're the only man I know that not only avoids to be turned on by the look and moves of an Asari but even seems to lower his body temperature in their vicinity. But about your question: we're watching."

Udina followed Garrus gander to the human waitress behind the bar. _Early twenties, middle blond hair, attractive, her outfit the same as the dancers but the red color proving her to be a waitress and not a whore … err, dancer._ _For her I would pay to see her dance. She would only have to blacken her hair_. "Beautiful sight, but I assume we're not here to improve my love life."

"It certainly could use some improvement," Garrus snickered. "But that's not the reason. Her name is Jenna. I had a call from her sister Rita. She's working in another club, the Flux, much better than this cave. I became acquainted to her a year ago as I helped her employer to fetch a salarian hustler that used electronics to better his winning chance at the slots. Back then Jenna was also working there. Seems that she changed her job and not for the better."

"What a heart-rending story. So we're here for a little street-work, yes" Udina mocked his turian friend.

"In a way, yes," Garrus agreed to his surprise. "Rita is afraid for her sister's life. She has not changed the job on her own but because she's working undercover for one of my former colleagues, a C-Sec officer named Chellick. She …"

On a short nod of Udina the Turian looked at Rita out of his eyes' corner and saw two men approaching the bar and shortly speak with Rita. One of them, a Batarian, clearly was a simple bodyguard, but the other had the stance of someone used to commanding those around him. _Middle-thirty human, shaved head, ex-military, at least two weapons and a knife_, Udina shortly noticed as the man waved Jenna to follow him to one of the tables in a niche at the rear of the club. She shortly spoke with a turian bartender beside her and followed him with a bottle and two glasses.

Udina watched her for a few minutes before he stated: "She's bad in doing this. Her fear gets in her way." Garrus agreed: "If he's not a total dumbass, he has noticed what she is trying to do. We really have to do something about it before he gets annoyed of playing with her. Stay here, Rory. I'll go to have a chat with Chellick. See you later." Leaving some money behind and forcing his steps not to stagger too much, Garrus ignored the laughter of Udina and left the club.

Fifty steps away his movement changed to his normal again and he went straight to the C-Sec bureaus, greeting the very few Turians there that still liked him before he simply entered Chellick's room and plumped into a seat. "Hey there, Chellick, heard you now let the girls do your job?"

_Park Bench near Wade's Apartment Tower – Lower Market District – Citadel_

Udina bowed his head towards the tower. "Jenkins is over there watching the entrance. That guy entered half an hour ago with her, went straight to apartment 4138. It is that with the pale blue curtains."

"Jenkins, yes," Garrus smiled. "Doing a little trainee education?"

Udina shrugged: "He has his uses, needs only more experience and a tad more patience. But mostly I didn't want to be seen too much around Jenna. What has he told?"

"The bastard really hired her as a mole. That human she's just … entertaining … he seems to be a high number in the Barret Syndicate, a group of weapon traders under the leadership of someone called Jax. Nobody seems to know who this Jax or where his hideout is. Chellick wants Jenna to get near enough to him to get useful information. He has never been a very clever one and he has no reservations about sacrificing her. He dared to forbid me to intervene."

Udina's smile was very thin and he not even spared the breath to ask Garrus if he wanted to comply with Chellick's request. Instead he stood up. "Stay here, I'll make a few calls."

He guided his steps towards the Council Tower_. I've never been there before and Shepard neither. Without Garrus I wouldn't even know about the Spectre's bureau. A little bit weird but_ … The rest of the way he thought about his last weeks. The Council had never shown any interest in improving the knowledge of him or Shepard about their new job. Apart from a few weapons there had been no equipment, no money and no information about communication. _How should we inform them without my Uncle's help? How interact or work together with other Spectres_? He shook his head, angry about the councilors.

After their installment as Spectres there had only two times been contact with them. There had not even been information about the daily work of a Spectre. What were they expected to do if Saren had been stopped? It was not an urgent question but he really was annoyed not to know anything about it. Perhaps it was a kind of test but he had anticipated that the work would be similar to his former agency. Strict codes and a bunch of handbooks were the lifeblood of any organization.

"Spectre status detected, welcome Spectre Udina." For a moment his steps faltered. This had been the first time that someone … or something … addressed him as Spectre and not Commander. Even his crew and Ambassador Udina never used this new title. _We should change this_.

He nearly bumped into a Salarian that was just to leave the rooms. For a moment he silently stared at Udina, his eyes blinking. "Udina," he said, his voice betraying some antipathy.

_Great, another fan of me_, Udina silently moaned. He narrowed his eyes, searching his brain for information about the Salarian but getting none. "Excuse me, you're at an advantage, I don't know your name."

The Salarian snarled: "You would if you'd spared the energy to read the sent files."

As he started to leave Udina stopped him by gripping his arm. He let lose an instant later and raised his hand to excuse himself. "Sorry, I didn't want … what files are you speaking about?" Udina allowed the confusion to show on his face, deciding that he had to be honest around this Salarian.

"The files I sent you on command of Councilor Valern. I expected you or Shepard to make contact but as it seemed you were too … occupied."

_Valern_, Udina's mind raced. The Salarian had always been the one among the Councilors he had trusted the most even before this whole Spectre business. The Turian Sparatus had been too militaristic to his liking and the Asari Tevos … yes, she was an Asari. Sensing his antipathy she had even been the only one voting against him. But the Salarian's pragmatic view was something he understood and could work with.

The Salarian narrowed his eyes and stared at him. "You didn't know." It was more of a statement instead of a question.

Udina shook his head, forcing him to remain calm. With only a hint of anger in his voice he bade: "Please show me these files you mentioned and then I would like to hear how you put them my way."

_Conference Room – Normandy_

From time to time Garrus cast a worried glance in Udina's direction while he explained what had happened. The Spectre had returned an hour ago and his whole stance told of his anger. He even had snarled at Tali as the Quarian dared to address him on his way to his room. At least she seemed not to be angry with him, his irritation about something being way too obvious to ignore.

"He left her an hour later and went to his ship, the armored freighter Ithaca. From a friend among the traffic controllers I learned that they'll leave the citadel in," he shortly looked at his Omni, "70 minutes. Their official destination is a mining post on the planet Kensal, Dis system, Hades Gamma Cluster."

Suppressing his anger for a few moments Udina added: "This Jax is a weapon smuggler. He has a few outposts in the Hades Gamma Cluster. To my information somewhere on Kensal is a hideout of him. I'll follow him with Garrus and Wrex. No, Tali, you'll stay here, you're way too noticeable." Looking around, his eyes lingering a moment on Ashley, he continued: "If you don't need him I'll take Kaidan, too. And Jenkins, he needs some more fighting experience." He ignored Ashley's wondering look and ended: "We'll be away for seven to ten days. I'll give you a contact if something important happens. Now off with you and prepare your belongings, we leave the Normandy in 30."

Waving for Shepard to stay behind, Udina waited for everyone else to leave the room. After that he activated some security measures with his Omni before he turned around to Shepard.

"Sorry, but one of us has to stay on the Citadel and that can't be me. Another hour and I'll kill him. I'll simply go to the Embassy and shoot him. I really need to cool off before I speak with him." His shoulders trembled and Shepard silently waited for Udina to soothe a bit.

"I've been in the Spectre's bureau this evening. Yes, there is something like that. I heard it from Garrus. Did you ever wonder why we don't get money, equipment or at least some information and be it a rulebook how to behave in the publicity? We did," Udina sputtered, sending a bunch of files onto Shepard's Omni.

"The salarian Councilor ordered a Spectre called Jondum Bau to help us with our first steps. All these needful little things as how to get our salary, what is expected on a daily routine, contact info about other Spectres, ways to deliver mission reports … hell, the Spectres have much more leeway than a navy officer but all in all they are an organization as every other."

He waited a few minutes to give Shepard time for a first impression about the data. "A very nice tad of information regarding our position: as full Spectres we are expected to quit the alliance navy within the next three months and to not react on direct mission requests of our former superiors. They have to use the official channels from now on. And this, I assume, was the reason that my sweet darling Uncle that bloody bastard held this information back. Yes, my uncle, as Jondum Bau sent these files towards the Embassy. He was a bit pissed off about our non-reaction and Councilor Valern isn't amused either. I've sent an apology via Jondum Bau but we have to speak about this when I return."


	21. Chapter 21 Trainee Mission

**Trainee Mission**

_Courier Ship Chadjee – preparing to jump into the Dis System_

"I hope the quarters are usable. The Chadjee was not meant to carry more than a handful of people." Jondum Bau's voice showed no real interest in the matter; clearly he expected Spectres and their men to endure such conditions.

"It is alright, the storeroom will do for a few days. I've camped under lesser conditions before," Udina responded. With the Chadjee on its way his temper had much improved. "Thank you for helping, Jondum."

"Wait a few days, Udina, perhaps then you're not so thankful anymore," Jondum smiled. "So you want me to lead this operation?"

Udina nodded: "Yes, I'll give you the information but you'll be the 'face' if there are any more or less official things to do. I'll stay behind and try to learn. I'll do the tactics and you intervene if my plans get stupid."

Jondum blinked shortly. "Good, your decision. If Nihlus would be still alive, he would be your mentor now."

Udina narrowed his eyes and stared intensely at the Salarian. "You know something about him, don't you?"

With a sigh Jondum agreed: "I'll have to be more alert around you, I fear. But yes, I know something. A good friend of mine, Major Kirrahe of the STG, is just on his way to the system Virmire. A contact there claimed that he saw Nihlus with some Salarians and Krogans a few days ago. It is still unconfirmed, that's why we didn't give you this information until now. So officially he is still thought to be dead."

"Virmire never heard about that. I hope he'll find something useful. Nihlus was a good man."

"I heard that, Rory," Udina whirled around at the voice of Garrus. "I didn't want to believe Shepard as he told me about your opinion regarding a Turian."

A deep growl escorted Udina's next sentence. "Shepard is a real blabbermouth and you can't trust anything he says. He's a real Asari sometimes."

Garrus frowned, his disgust not fully played: "That was a bit low, even for you, Rory."

"Yes, yes, whatever. Now let's speak about Kensal."

_Courier Ship Chadjee – above Kensal_

"She was not really cooperative," Garret smiled, earning him a shrug on Jondum's part. The salarian Spectre had just returned from a conversation with the official security leader of the planetary forces, a bunch of ex-soldiers and criminals.

"That's irrelevant as long as she cooperated in the end. So we know now that they didn't land here but on a smaller, unofficial spaceport fifty miles further south. There is an old mine belonging a batarian figure head. Planetary law doesn't allow them fortifications and they seem to follow the rules at least outwardly. We'll go in and have a look. Everyone prepares an additional weapon with concussion rounds and takes a few stun grenades. We need prisoners for interrogation. And this human, Norrich, we followed is not to be killed."

Udina agreed. "We'll carry the grey-brown dyed hard-suits I organized. Any talks are done by Jondum. We're only here as additional muscles."

After Garrus had left the room, Jondum asked: "All this only to help a serving wrench?"

With a somber face Udina shook his head: "No, I started to help because a friend asked me to. And later, after I learned about Jax, I had contact with someone who was willing to further my investigation with information and equipment in exchange for taking his operation out."

"Helena Blake I assume," Jondum smiled, obviously enjoying the surprise on Udina's face.

"I see that I have to be more secretive too," the Spectre smiled. "But yes, it had been Helena. I had some contact with her organization before and she's quite interested in preventing Jax's syndicate to get a foothold on the Citadel. She's mostly trustworthy as far as you may trust a criminal. And she had been helpful in the past and even more in the future as I hope."

Jondum agreed: "You never know when such contacts may come in handy. Only be careful."

_Armored Freighter Ithaca – Prepare dropping on Mavigon, Han System_

"I don't really expect them to fall for the messages we prepared. So stand ready to leave quickly before they blast the ship away. Jondum will lead the attack, Garrus and I man the ship's guns and try to give you shelter against the ground turrets. Enter the outpost as fast as possible. Use deadly weapons. If someone wants to surrender, don't shoot him but we're not after prisoners this time." Udina gave them the sign to prepare and went to the ship's pilot he had shackled to his seat.

"It is very simple. Be convincing and you will survive. Do it badly and you'll go down with the ship." The smuggler's pilot nodded with heavy drops of sweat on his forehead. Udina smiled thinly and left for the backboard rocket thrower.

Silently he listened as the pilot tried to convince the station's crew. He floundered two times out of fear but he didn't betray the Spectre and his words were at least believable enough not to shoot the ship down before it landed. That they had a welcoming committee on the landing pod was in reality a very good thing. It would hinder the turrets to open fire on the Ithaca for a while at least, Udina hoped. _Good personal is hard to find nowadays_.

The hangar door opened and Jondum left the ship with Wrex, Kaidan and Jenkins at his sides together with two of his salarian crewmembers. Seconds later Garrus and Udina opened fire, knocking two of the three turrets out in short order. The last was not targetable and had to be destroyed with hand held rocket throwers. After a last salvo towards the radio tower of the outpost he left his place and hurried for the hangar where Garrus was already chambering a round into his rifle. "Let's have some fun."

_Armored Freighter Ithaca – on the way back to the Citadel_

"Your targeting with the SMG has improved," Garrus discerned with a smile. "But you're still much better with the sniper rifle."

"Yes, I am. The new SMG Ashley modified for me is an improvement but still …" Udina shrugged. "I would have felt more comfortable with my revolver but the disguise would be a bit jeopardized with me carrying around my signature weapon."

Jondum agreed with a neutral tone: "You should think about leaving that weapon behind altogether. It is very noticeable and conspicuousness is bad in our job."

Udina sighed: "I know, I know. What about the ship?" He looked around. "I read in the files you gave me that Spectres have the right to confiscate the equipment of criminals."

"Yes, that's true. But you have to remember that a ship needs a crew and costs money. You can't simply park it in a garage."

Shortly Udina narrowed his eyes and put his lips together into a thin line. Then he smiled: "We could give it to Councilor Valern to keep it for use of Spectres and STG teams. It has been a salarian mission, not?"

Jondum reciprocated the smile: "Yes, that would be acceptable."

_Somewhere in the lower market district – Citadel_

He had left the ship and sent Kaidan to the Normandy with Wrex and Jenkins. The young corporal had made a good impression on the mission and even the light wound he had got had not been able to suppress his enthusiasm. _If he gets a tad more careful he'll one day be a good marine. _

Turning around to Garrus, the Turian whistling lowly behind the small carrier with a ten feet long casket on it, Udina allowed himself a moment of content. A short message had proven that Jenna was still alright and now he was on the way to deliver a small present to a trading partner.

A sign from a side entrance was all he needed. Warily looking around – even among 'friends' it was always good to be prepared – they entered the storeroom of the electronic shop. The grey-haired woman was already waiting there, convincing Udina that this was no trap. _Helena wouldn't endanger herself; she's too experienced to do so_.

Opening his jacket to show that Garrus was now carrying his only weapons Udina went to her and bowed slightly to make a kiss on the hand. "It is always nice to meet you, Rory."

"And you look at least as wonderful as the last time, Helena." He pointed towards the casket. "I have a little present for you. Jax, as could be expected, but this one could be helpful too."

On her sign one of her bodyguards opened the casket and signaled that there was no danger. Helena Blake neared and looked down on Jenna's former admirer, shackled and gagged, his eyes full of terror. "Norrich, happy to see you again. We hadn't that much time to speak after you left my little family so … short dated. We have much to discuss."

Neither Udina nor Garrus was willing to intervene as Norrich silently pleaded for help. "I hope he'll be able to give you some directions about Jax' trading partners on the Citadel."

"That would be nice and is very thoughtful of you. May I do you any good in reciprocation?"

Udina nodded: "Yes, there is something. His former girlfriend works at Chora's Den. She could need a good friend, a bit of protection and a little money from time to time. And a trustworthy ear in that club wouldn't be too shabby either, don't you think, Helena?"

Helena Blake slightly pinched his cheek: "You have always been too soft-hearted to the girls. But I'll have that in mind." Waving her men to put the casket away she said goodbye. "See you later. I'll ring if there are any interesting music instruments incoming."


	22. Chapter 22 Helpful Friends

**Helpful Friends**

_Council Chamber – Citadel_

Anderson sighed deeply, forcing his face to remain almost bland. Sometimes he wished that Commander Udina would pick up a few of his uncle's talents. Not the character, that for sure, but he certainly could use some of Ambassador Udina's talents to hide his feelings.

The meeting had started very well. Apart from the three council members only Anderson, Rory Udina and Shepard were attending, and Jondum Bau, not to forget the salarian Spectre. The absence of Ambassador Udina was a bit weird for the captain, but understandable as his actions were one of the discussion themes today.

Tevos, the councilor of the Asari, had praised the efficiency of the successful smuggler hunt just minutes ago and even stated her pleasure about the good team work between Udina and Jondum. It could have been a nice meeting, foundation of a better collaboration between the human Spectres and the Council. But Udina had been able to ruin the moment with a few sentences.

Completely ignoring Tevos after a short disgusted look in her direction, he had only addressed Valern in the following. Anderson was fully unable to grasp why Udina behaved this way. Yes, there was antipathy between Shepard and the turian Councilor Sparatus, too, but that had always been only the my-claws-are-sharper-than-yours so typical between soldiers that had been military opponents before. But between Udina and Tevos it had been something personal. Anderson cursed silently.

"The work with Spectre Jondum Bau had been very helpful and enlightening, Councilor Valern. I know that he has his own duties and work to do but we – Spectre Shepard and I – would appreciate if he'll chaperone us on our next mission. There have been hints about heavy Geth activity in the Armstrong Cluster and we plan to pursue that track."

Valern looked intensely at the three Spectres in front of him. Jondum Bau nodded in his direction before the salarian Councilor agreed: "If this is not inferring with his actual duties, we'll allow this. The teamwork between the different Spectres has always been a bit … difficult. It can only be helpful if this improves."

With this point decided it was Sparatus that opened the discussion about another thing: "I was astonished to hear that there had been problems about getting information about the working routines of Spectres in your hands. I hope this had been an insular event and won't happen anew."

At an imperceptible sign of Udina Commander Shepard responded: "We have solved that problem. In the future Spectre Jondum Bau will send us all essential information directly, if need be via Captain Anderson. We won't bother the human Embassy further." _Especially not my uncle_, Udina flinched.

"Together with Admiral Hacket we decided that we'll delay to leave the Alliance Navy to a time after the problem of Saren is solved. There have to be made a few decisions about our status and especially our material support and our access concerning the Normandy."

From Jondum Bau and Councilor Valern they had learned that it was the duty of the respective Spectre's race to raise the needed funds to support his work, but with them being the first human Spectres the alliance navy simply needed to prepare for this. How much money should they get, needed ships, needed personal and many other things they had to decide.

"As long as we still belong officially to the Navy, we will be directly subordinate to Admiral Hacket. That should minimize the problems with other navy officials." _As with Mikhailovitch_, Shepard grinned shortly.

Councilor Tevos nodded in agreement. "This is not optimal but will be sufficient for the near future. I think all important things are decided. We'll expect your report about the Armstrong Cluster, Spectre Shepard."

Obviously Udina was not the only one able to ignore someone. "And Spectre Shepard: thank you for helping Consort Sha'ira. It was certainly not in your field of duties to solve her problems but her position is a very important one and it is helpful if she's able to conduct her work smoothly."

Udina wanted to interject something, a smirk on his face, but a short shook of Anderson's head convinced him to hold his tongue. Shepard bowed slightly, a smile on his face. "I'm happy that I could be of any help for her."

In his mind pictures raced; pictures of a very beautiful Asari and her pleasant voice. They had spoken afterwards about General Septimus, the rumors and how they started. And Shai'ra had spoken about his future. He had been there a few times since that day but to his regret she was always very busy, in very high demand, now even more since the bad rumors had ended. But to his delight her acolyte Nelyna had been very willing to spend time with him. Her massage technics had been very relaxing and if Ashley only would be a bit more feminine, he would ask her to learn some of them.

"Shepard?" His head snapped up. Udina interrupted his daydreams and he feared that it hadn't been the first time that he had tried to address him. "I have a message for you from Dr. Chakwas. She wants to speak you urgently."

_Navy Intelligence Center – Citadel_

Quietly Shepard listened to Rear Admiral Kahoku. The alliance officer hadn't been pleased as the Spectre showed up in the NIC but now tried to play the helpful host for the Spectre. _If I only had said 'no' to Chakwas_, Shepard sighed. The Doctor had told him about Dr. Michel's problems an hour ago and to his present regret he had agreed to look after her.

"Armistan Banes is one of my agents. He had been … examining some hints in the Attican Traverse. There had been some incidents … as it seems there is someone doing researches about bio-engineering. Who is behind this or what he hopes to accomplish we don't know. Two weeks ago the connection to Banes ended. The last contact we had was from the Sparta system in the Artemis Tau Cluster. There he had tried to gain access to a cell of this unknown organization. But now it came to my knowledge that Dr. Michel had contact with him only three days ago. "

"I would like to speak with her. I know her and apart from a habit to get into problems she had always been flawlessly loyal to the alliance."

_Normandy – Conference Room – Dock D24 – Citadel _

"As it seems Dr. Michel had been working with Banes two years ago. He knew about her problems with her former employee, something about illegally distributing medicine to the needy. Three days ago he used this knowledge to send her a message and demand her cooperation in getting some illegal medical stuff. But … there is a little trick in that: Dr. Michel has no possibility to lay her hands on that stuff and Banes should have known this." Shepard went silent and looked around in the room.

Udina agreed: "It seems as if he tried to use Dr. Michel to deliver a message, hidden in this blackmail-nonsense. He could be sure that Kahoku's men would learn about this message. Obviously he is unable to send news on his normal channels and so tried to deliver them this way, perhaps in the same moment proving his worth for that organization."

"But … what does he wants to accomplish with this? I mean: what do we … or Kahoku … learn from the message," Ashley wondered.

Shepard turned to Udina, leaving it to him what the 'Communication Officer' had explained to him only an hour ago: "It is not the text of the message, that is helpful, but the despatcher. Now we know that Banes had been in a small spaceport on the planet Binthu. Our plan is the following:

Ashley, you'll deliver the medical stuff instead of Dr. Michel. Kahoku agreed to support us with the needed things. This is only to confirm Banes story and give us a few more days. After the delivery Dr. Michel should be secure and hopefully Banes in a better situation. We will use this time and make a stop on our way to the Armstrong Cluster and have a look at Binthu. If there really is a bio-engineering facility we should be able to locate it and make contact with Banes."

Dr. Chakwas, unused to attending such a meeting, had been silent so far: "And what will happen to Dr. Michel?"

Shepard tried smile soothingly in her direction: "Admiral Kahoku's men will watch her in the meantime. By the way: in return for our help in this he promised to clean her report. This 'medicine distributing' shouldn't get her any problems in the future."


	23. Chapter 23 To soothe a mind

**To soothe a mind**

_Medical Bay – Normandy – on the way to Binthu_

_Why couldn't she arrive at the citadel one day later_, Udina asked him the umpteenth time. _She would have missed the Normandy, we would be on our way to Binthu without her and I wouldn't stand here like an idiot_. He grinded his teeth heavily; the grinding caused Dr. Chakwas to look up. Since he entered the medical bay, Commander Udina hadn't spoken a word to her, only nodded shortly and then passed back and forth in front of the door of Liara's room.

_Comfort her, speak with her_. Tali's voice came back to his mind. If any other would have dared to ask him, he would have spat in his face or simply broken his nose. But Tali had been so troubled. Only hours before the Normandy had left the Citadel, Liara had returned from Thessia. She had been very quiet, very solemn. Even Udina had realized that she was broken. But contrary to the rest of the crew it hadn't interested him. He had only been irritated that Shepard and the others didn't stop to speak about Liara; how to help her.

_The poor little thing_, Udina kicked the rack of one of the sickbeds. _If she wants to cry, then let her._ But she didn't cry. Instead of that she seemed like a living dead, showing no emotions apart from short fits of anger when someone tried to break thru her emotional shielding.

_Tali is not Cathleen, Tali is not my sister, and I don't have to help her_. He spoke the words like a mantra but they were of no help. Udina only had to close his eyes to see the Quarian again, to hear her voice. _Rory, please_ … With renewed anger directed at himself Rory kicked the rack several times very hard, ignoring the pain in his foot.

"Stop to destroy the furniture," Chakwas began to scold him. "She won't bite you. Perhaps you could simply …"

The Doctor staggered back a step as Udina looked furiously in her direction and produced a deep growl. Whirling around Udina ignored to use the chime and pounded against the door with his fist. Liara's voice penetrated the door: "Go away."

He pounded anew and tried to open the door, but it was locked. _Soothe her mind_. He was surely not in the mood to soothe anybody, himself fewest of all. Udina raised his Omni and transmitted his override command to open the door. Before Dr. Chakwas could protest he entered the room and closed the door after him.

"Shepard, I said that …" Liara's voice melted away. Confusion and a tad of fear showed in her face. She knew that he didn't like her and that emotion seemed to have been enhanced threefold after their melding. "Commander Udina …"

She halted her voice as Udina angrily raised his hand as if he wanted to slap her despite the gap between them. "Shut up, Asari Witch, I'm only here because Tali bade me too, not because I would be interested in your welfare, feelings or whatever the whole ship is babbling about the last days."

_They were talking about me, Liara wondered_? Sure, Shepard had tried to speak with her. And also Tali was here more than once, Garrus and even Ashley. But …

"I really have enough of this nonsense," Udina growled menacingly. "If you're so hurt by your mother's death then you should have at least the reason to stay at Thessia."

Slowly Liara felt something rising in her heart: anger. "I'm not hurt by her death. I haven't met her for decades so why should I …"

Udina interrupted her with a snarl: "Yeah, sure, asari nonsense, I should have expected that. Is this the same stupid bullshit you told Tali? Hear me, young lady," he spit the last word that it clearly sounded like an insult. "If you want to waste Shepard's time with that, it doesn't interest me, but leave Tali alone with it. She's hurt, she's troubled and I won't allow this to go on any further."

"Commander Udina, I expect you to leave my room immediately. We have nothing further to discuss." Liara squared her shoulders and made a gesture towards the door, but Udina only sneered. "Make me leave, child. I'm not finished yet."

Cursing Liara turned around and went towards the door, halting her step as she heard Udina's next words. "Yes, that would be right. Bugger off! Flee cowardly, it is the asari way to do, the same your mother did on Noveria."

Liara biotics flared as she whirled around and smashed Udina back at the wall. "My mother was no coward. She tried her best to save Saren's soul; she risked her own life and chose death before losing her free will anew." Shortly Liara paled as she saw Udina grip his occiput and hurling away some drops of blood.

"Is that all you've got? At least your mother seemed to have been a powerful biotic. Not even that you inherited from her." Gripping her with his biotics Udina pressed her against the wall besides the door, using only a small amount of power. "First she overrated her own abilities, something most Asari do. Then she risked entirely gratuitously the life of her bodyguards and acolytes. Not that I would mourn her death but how could she allow Saren to sacrifice Shiala to the Thorian? I thought she was a kind of daughter to her. But seeing how long she ignored you it is reasonable that Shiala's fate didn't concern her anymore."

Liara's blue face first paled; then the color deepened. With a growl and no small amount of anger she broke free from the biotic shackles and smashed Udina against the wall for another time, ignoring the chime and Chakwas voice.

"Shiala had always been a sister to be and my mother loved her. Clearly you don't understand how someone could value another life higher than his own or sacrifice her life to rescue the soul of another one. The Goddess …"

Udina whirled a chair against Liara's legs; the sudden attack let her stagger and fall to the ground. "The Goddess … the Goddess … what do you know of her? Always you have her name in your ugly mouth but you don't understand anything of her. Yes, she is compassion and love, but both born in a strong heart. You only care about others because you're too weak to solve your own problems, the same as your mother was. She knew that she was unable to break the indoctrination and so she chose the way of the coward, to flee from life and leave you behind. She even dared to ask you to kill her, unable to do it herself. Benezia was a shame for your race and unworthy to find a place beside the Goddess."

These last words were too much for Liara to endure. Forgetting her biotics she hurled her body against Udina and started to beat him with her tiny fists. "She loved me; she always did. All the same as I loved her, in spite of the distance. And suicide is not the way of a coward. You have no idea how it is to see only one escape, to feel responsible for another one's death …" Stunned she stopped her pounding and stared at his nose she just broke. In one moment all energy left her, left behind only an empty shell, unable to grasp what she had done.

With a very weird look Udina gripped her and sat her on her desk, staring into her eyes and responding with a very solemn voice. "I know exactly how it is. Seven years ago I accidently killed my little sister. My mother … she hasn't spoken to me since then. I was … destroyed … broken."

He let her lose and pulled the sleeve of his left arm above his elbow; showed her the scars at the inside of his forearm. Liara gasped. "I tried to die but I was unable to accomplish even that. They sent me to the shrinks. I tried anew. So they whisked me away to my Uncle and he put me into the military. Only to my best, but it wasn't. On every mission I risked my life, hoped that death would end my pain, my regret. But my luck held out and instead of death I was promoted. In a way it was Dr. Warren who saved me. It had been her discourse that Cathleen wanted to hear as we had the accident. Seeing her again I remembered. I remembered how Cathleen had been, how she loved me and that she would never had allowed me to be like this: unhappy, self-loathing and self-destroying. After that I tried to battle myself, to survive and to be like the brother she deserved. Sometimes I hope that she looks at me, sitting beside the Goddess, and that she is proud of me."

Liara was very silent now, ignoring the blood trickling from Udina's nose and her own tears flowing down her cheeks. With surprising compassion Udina gripped her shoulders: "You should never allow you to forget that: that you loved her and she loved you; that she loved you so much that she allowed you to find your own way. Don't allow your mind to rule over your heart or the grief to quench your hope and joy. Do you really think that your mother would be happy to see you like this?"

Liara weakly shook her head, leaned against Udina's shoulder. He hesitated for a moment before he embraced her, allowed her to soak his jacket with her tears. And so Shepard, Chakwas and Tali found them some minutes later as Tali was able to open the locked door at last. Udina didn't need to see Tali's face to know that she was mimicking Chakwas' smile before the trio quietly left the room again.


	24. Chapter 24 Diner among Friends

**Diner among Friends**

_CIC – Normandy – Way to Binthu_

The last two days had been weird for him. After his conversation with Liara, their former antipathy and mistrust hadn't simply gone away, but now it missed the sharp edges their relation had before. Opening their hearts to each other certainly had an impact on their emotions and Udina found him unwilling to see her exactly like before. Not that he suddenly was a kind of asari-lover but at least he avoided to speak badly about Asari when Liara was around. And they both showed a careful civility around each other that hadn't been there before.

But not only had his relation to Liara changed. Other crewmembers had been much friendlier to him; even Kaidan seemed to react positively. Udina shook his head: _fools, I'm the same as before. It was only for Tali_.

"Is anything ok, Rory?" Udina nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard Tali's voice. Completely absorbed in his thoughts he had totally missed her appearance. With a clattering sound his notepad felt to the ground. Cursing he lifted it up and looked at the Quarian, his growl instantly dying away as he 'saw' her smile. He didn't know how he could see her smile behind that visor but he was sure about the existence. Perhaps it was an interpretation of her stance, the tune of her voice or simply his knowledge about her character.

"I was only in thoughts, Piuthrag. You've startled me a bit. Perhaps I should buy a small bell for you the next time we visit the Citadel. You could wear it with a red ribbon around your neck."

Tali hesitated for a moment as if she was really contemplating about it. Then she shook her head: "No, it would disturb my work at the engineering." There was again this little smile of her: "And I really like to startle you sometimes."

"You're a cruel little girl, Tali, very cruel. And that after you forced me to … do that." His voice disclosed that he wasn't angry with her, at least not very much.

"I know. I'm sorry." She stood in front of him for a few moments. "No, cancel that. I'm not sorry. I hoped … nay: I knew that you would help her. And that you did. You succeeded were Shepard, Chakwas and I failed."

Udina grumbled a bit: "Yes, and now everybody thinks that I like her or care for her or both or anything …"

"Is this so bad? No, please don't answer. Forget the question. I haven't come to quarrel with you."

"Good," Udina sighed with relief. Then his face changed to a tad of concern: "What do you wanted to speak about? Is anything alright with your room?"

Tali padded his arm. "Yes, don't fear. Everything is fantastic." She hesitated, not feeling as secure as moments before. Tali started to ask, stopped and then asked Udina with a bit of theatrical easiness: "It is so good that … that I thought I could show you … the room I mean." She stared at Udina's wide-eyed face, harrumphed and continued: "I would like to invite you to dinner tonight … this evening I mean." Getting no instant reaction she added after a few seconds: "Would 1900 be okay for you? I'll prepare the food and you'll bring the appetite."

What should he answer to this invitation? Udina's heart raced. He knew about the importance of such an invitation. But he hadn't these feelings for her and until now he had been sure that Tali did neither. _Should I ask her if she is secure about that? No, that would hurt her. It hadn't been easy for her to ask me in the first place_. His lower lip twitched. _Say something, idiot. The CIC is not the place to_ …

"I would really like to see how your room has changed. And 1900 would be fine; I thank you for the invitation, Tali."

It was obvious how she relaxed after his answer and with a small wave Tali left the CIC.

_Tali's Quarters – Normandy – Way to Binthu_

Full two minutes Udina stood in front of her room, trying to relax and gather his nerves. After speaking with Dr. Chakwas he had prepared for the date. _No, no date, invitation among good friends_, Udina corrected himself. A long bath he had token, cleaning the skin with an antiseptic, changing into a simple but smooth set of well-cleaned silken shirt and trouser. And over this set he put a protection suit to prevent contagion on the way to her room. Somehow he now had a hint of how she felt all the time and Udina promised him to use this kind of garments from time to time in the future. Perhaps others should too, to get a feeling how it was to be a Quarian.

At last he had enough courage to chime and entered the airlock. A first disinfection went on; then he carefully left the protection suit and patiently suffered the second disinfection. At last the airlock opened with a soft hiss and Udina entered her room. It was gloomier than outside but that had to be expected. Quarian eyes reacted badly to bright light, one of the reasons for her tainted visor. He cursed shortly that he had forgotten to buy that special visor he thought about. It would allow Tali to protect her eyes but also see her vicinity more naturally. And if she wished, she could allow others a glimpse onto her face.

For a while he looked around. With Tali denied the possibility to have plants around her or an aquarium, Rory had started to buy her small pictures and other kinds of artistry like statuettes. They all had found a place in her room together with some others he didn't know. Shortly he wondered who could have given them to her but then he had to concentrate on Tali. She had silently waited for Rory to get a first impression while she waited in the middle of the room, her frame and especially her face hidden under a long hooded mantle.

Now she put that away, unveiling her petite body, the face with the silvery eyes and framed by short black hair, certainly cut for practicality reasons. The face was much more human-like than he had expected. The two small ridges from her eyes upwards to her hairline showed that she wasn't human as did their eyes. And Udina could see that instead of earlobes her ears seemed to merge with her face thru a kind of ridge. Most of her body was very lithe, her shoulders small, her breast that of a woman before childbirth and her legs as far as he could see trained but well-shaped. And she had what others called 'child-bearing hips'.

Rory stared very long at her and he needed another time to register her expression of insecurity about his reaction. With a controlled voice he stated: "I'm glad that you have to wear a suit most of the time."

Tali blinked heavily, her mouth opening and closing several times like a fish out of water. This had not been the expected reaction. Then she saw his broad smile that Udina now was unable to hide any more: "With that spectacle around no one would be able to concentrate on the work in the engineering and I could spend most of my time with distributing clouts on gaping crewmembers."

"That … that was kind of a compliment, yes," Tali asked with a slight quiver in her voice?

"It was. I fear not a very good one but … you'll make one Quarian male very happy sometimes, Tali." His voice got a bit darker: "As soon as he proves to me that he is worthy of you at least."

He didn't miss the mix of emotions on her face and decided to …

"Tali? Piuthrag? As I accepted your invitation I was fully aware of the importance of this, of meeting another without protection." Tali blushed deeply and nearly jumped away as Udina stepped forward and gently grabbed her hands. He looked into her eyes, regretting that he was unable to read them like the eyes of a human woman. _I have to trust my other senses_.

"You know how I feel about you, Tali? That I don't … yes, I love you, but …"

Tali nodded two times and quietly whispered: "As a brother, I know."

Carefully he put his hands at her cheeks and whispered: "I would like to try something. Not to play with your emotions, only to … make a statement, a decision. Would you allow me?"

She stared at him, her nod almost invisible. Slowly he leaned forward, closing the gap between their faces and then he softly kissed her. After a short first kiss another one followed, more deeply and intensely. Tali answered the kiss with passion, as if she was searching for something in it. As they parted he saw confusion in her face. He guided her to her seat and kneeled in front of her, waiting patiently for her reaction.

"That was … unexpected." After a moment of silence she continued. "Shouldn't I feel weak knees or butterflies in the stomach or something like that?"

With a hint of regret in his face that fast changed into gladness Rory explained: "At least the authors say so." With a theatrical sigh he continued: "You see my self-confidence fully shattered. No woman adoring and loving me …"

Tali gave him a small slap. "I adore you. And I love you." With a deep smile she continued: "But this makes our relation much simpler, don't you agree? And I always thought you're the theoretician in the family and I'm the one with the experiments."

"I'm only adapting, learning from my cute, intelligent, impressive and adorable little sister." He looked intensely at Tali: "But please, Piuthrag, promise me: don't only play to be happy. Be honest to me, always. And if your feelings ever change, tell it. I really don't want to tell you about other women if I'm hurting you with that."

"Is that the reason that you formerly didn't speak about …"

"Stop it." He interrupted her angrily. "Sorry, I didn't want to … she's not suitable for conversation, Tali."

Tenderly Tali stroke his temple, his ear, the line of his jaw. "One day there will be the right woman for you … Brathair." Giggling with that sweet voice he so loved to hear she looked in Rory's astonished face. "See: you're not the only one able to use the net. I'm curious how long she will need to learn what her nicknames' meaning is."

Rory winced, but then responded to Tali's smile. Like a gentleman he offered her his arm: "Let us eat now, Piuthrag."

_Notes:_

_Piuthrag: gaelic for 'little sister'_

_Brathair: Gaelic for 'brother'_

_Ridein (used for Ashley): Gaelic for 'beautiful maiden'_


	25. Chapter 25 Bio Engineering

**Bio Engineering**

_Surface of Binthu_

In the vain hope of finding his inner balance again Udina looked to the sky. Binthu's small moon spent them a bit of light. He hung at the firmament like a silent watchdog, a giant space station guarding the planet. But there had been no signs of outposts on the moon. Even Binthu had no real populace apart from a small spaceport, more thought to be a waystation. The atmosphere of Binthu, carbon dioxide with some toxic chlorine and sulphur dioxide mixed in to make it even more unwelcoming, had averted any colonization. But this made Binthu an ideal location for someone who wanted to hide. Not many passersby, nearly none local authority and no police would interfere.

Shortly he rested his forehead against the metal in front of him. It didn't help in the last; he could still feel her stare in his back like a scorching knife. He had it really messed up. At least Tali was on the Normandy and had not experienced what he'd done. Udina clenched his fists. _It had to be done_, he knew. But that didn't help now.

The evening with Tali had been so beautiful. He even danced with her, something he hadn't done since Cathleen …

But then he left her room and on the way back a single picture destroyed the mood, left him stone-faced and eyes burning. It was the view of Shepard and Ashley standing in the open door of Shepard's cabin, kissing her possessively. He needed no imagination to realize what had happened before, only a look at the condition of her clothes and hair.

Ashley and Shepard always behaved professional when others were around but Udina only had to look at her to see again this picture, his hands on her small back, his lips on her neck. Not that he was able to scold her for her taste. Certainly he was kind of a woman's wet dreams come true. Large, broad shoulders, warm eyes and all these other positive features Shepard had. He was a marine thru and thru, something which paired much better with Ashley's view of life than someone like Rory. And Shepard would never do such things as …

A few hours ago they had followed a first lead. Shepard had got the information about an outpost from an employee at the spaceport and their two MAKOs had reached the abandoned station twenty miles south of the spaceport. Once there they had expected some kind of trouble but not that it was this kind of trap. They had been attacked by a Thresher Maw who had nearly succeeded in destroying Shepard's MAKO with her in it before Garrus could kill the Thresher with the board cannon.

The ambush had made him furious. Added with his bad mood from before and the simple need to get some real information this led to Udina being the one that interrogated their informant this time. It had been … unpleasant. Even Garrus had been uneasy as Udina used some of the painful methods he had learned. Their captive had been completely convinced that he would die if he did not cooperate. And Udina knew: yes, he would have killed him. The possibility of losing Ashley had frightened him. No, not losing because that he had already, but to see her die.

He had gotten the needed information this time but he could only see disgust in the faces of his companions. Only Jondum Bau understood, but that hardly was a surprise.

"We're nearing the destination. I have no signatures of any defense turret, only a few humanoid signatures and the dampened signature of an entrance to an underground complex."

Shepard's voice broke Udina from his dreams. A mile before they reached the hidden complex they stopped the MAKO and left Kaidan behind, while Shepard led the rest towards their enemies.

"Do you think he's still alive," Garrus asked Udina. The young officer shrugged, seemingly uninterested in the question.

"Don't expect him to do so. This message towards Dr. Michel was more a cry for help than anything else, perhaps even more a cry for revenge. But it is senseless to think about that now, we'll see in short time."

_Hidden Complex – Binthu _

Garrus fired two short bursts at their enemies before he ducked back behind the case he used for cover. Only split seconds later it shuddered with the response fire. From the left they could hear the amused chuckle of Wrex who was enjoying all of this.

_Only humans_, Udina shortly noted to himself. _Mechs and humans, there are no asari biotics or Krogan mercenaries_. He had a suspicion, an idea about the power behind their enemies. But it was too early to speak about that. Out, shot to a mechs head, back into cover before he exploded, his shreds tearing into the cases around Udina.

"I see a force field containing Thorian husks. There are scanners and medical equipment around," Ashley informed them from the room to the right.

"Seems were at the right place. First those Rachni workers, now Thorian husks. If you see any scientist, try to capture him alive," Shepard ordered. Until now there had only been military personnel and many of them. But someone had to use this equipment; they only needed to find them. Heavy steps pounded on the ground; some cases were shattered or shoved aside.

"Into cover, prepare for heavy mechs," Shepard warned them. Udina sighed. They were moments like this that caused him to admire him: able to wield any weapon, always knowing where the men and women under his command took position and 'feeling' their enemies, their plans. True marine officer material he was, even if he would leave the official rank behind in a few weeks. Not a lousy scientist as him, at most able to use some tech to support the fighters. With a growl he hold his position in the open and whirled his revolver around from left to right, down to up, each shot of his special ammunition tearing thru a shield and hitting a mech's head or a guard's breast. Five shots, five kills before Garrus angrily pulled him into cover, a heavy mech's missile exploding where he stood only a second before.

"If I have to explain Tali how you died, I'll come back and put a bullet thru your brain," he hissed without much logic but all the more passion. But Udina understood and without a smile only nodded. From then on he was more careful for the rest of the fight. And that was needed, because the shields of the two heavy mechs that entered the battle were way too powerful to be pierced by their weapons. They would have to concentrate on one to slowly tear a shield down and then …

Udina stopped Garrus with a hand gesture as the Turian moved to pull him away. His eyes went to a pile of T-beam, perhaps thought to be used in the construction of another room. "Shield me," he whispered, trusting Garrus to knock the two mechs and single human out that were flanking their larger brethren. Four steps … three … two … Udina's biotics gripped one of the beams. The heavy mech entered the gap between two large piles of cases and Udina hurled the beam at him, using it like a three-hundred pound version of a spear. The blunt tip was far too slow to be deflected by the shield and crushed into the broad breast of its target. The thick plate meant to shield the mech's reactor only held for a split second before it gave away and the beam tore thru it, pierced the breast and pushed the rear cover plate aside.

"COVER," Udina's voice penetrated the hall as he dove into cover himself. Two seconds later a heavy explosion rocked thru the room and those connected to him, whirling dozens of cases around and killing or injuring a handful of their enemies. Even his brother was pushed from its heavy feet and now it tried to stay up again. Shepard, Ashley and Wrex used the moment to get into position and took the second heavy mech out with concentrated fire.

After that it was only a question of time before the last guard was overcame and they found a room full of scientists … and Banes' body.

_Conference Room – Normandy – on the way to the Armstrong Cluster_

"We were able to take the scientists into custody. Some of them are willing to cooperate, Admiral. We'll deliver them and the bio-medical knowledge we found to alliance forces before we enter the Armstrong Cluster. The outpost itself we destroyed."

Rear Admiral Kahoku nodded, a smile showing his content about the outcome even if Banes' death was a small drop of sorrow in the cup of joy. "I'm pleased about your success, Spectre Shepard. I owe you. Be assured that I hold my end of our small arrangement. Dr. Michel's future on the Citadel should be worry-free."

"Thank you, Admiral. Shepard over and out."

He turned around to the other members of his crew. Ashley sighed: "So it had been Cerberus. With only humans running around at that facility we should have expected that. But I have no idea what their plan with those husks and Rachni could have been."

"Expendable shock troopers," Udina answered the question with a dire face.

Shepard agreed: "That could be possible. We'll have to see in the future and hold our eyes open for other signs of their activity. But now we have to prepare for the Geth."


	26. Chapter 26 Pilgrimage

**Pilgrimage**

_Geth Outpost – Casbin, Armstrong Cluster_

With a grim smile Shepard watched how the Colossus exploded after the twin hit of the rockets Wrex and he had fired at the large Geth. The destruction of that walking weapon platform gave them a few seconds to regroup. He cursed silently. Garrus and Kaidan did their best to occupy their main enemy, a Geth dropship hanging over the outpost. But they were simply no match. The dropships' forward armoring was simply too heavy for the MAKO's cannon and they had to switch position after every second shot to prevent being destroyed by the ships energy blaster.

After the relative easy destruction of the outpost on Maji – the score Geth and two Colossi no real match after they had finally got thru the gauntlet of defense turrets up the serpentine road – this outpost simply had been too easy to take out. At least until the cavalry showed up in the form of a dropship. More than two dozen Geth had dropped and advanced under the cover of the ship.

"Shepard, draw their fire on your position. I have an idea but have to get nearer to them. Tali with me," Udina's voice announced and only moments later Shepard saw him circling the Geth, Tali a few steps behind.

_Draw their fire, nothing easier. Surviving that could be a little more complicated_. He shortly stood up between the rocks and fired his last rocket against a group of Geth, destroying one instantly and throwing a handful of them around. Hastily he switched position and into cover again. From now on he, Ashley and Wrex had to fire at them and really they took the bait, but a bit to fervently for Shepard's taste.

"We're ready," Udina's voice whispered thru the comms. More to himself he continued: "Protect me Tali. Activate prog Tali-22 on left Prime Geth." _Tali-22_, Shepard shortly wondered; then he watched as the Prime suddenly stopped his movement. Seconds later he turned around and raised his weapon, a kind of large accelerator gun, towards the dropship. Before any of his smaller brethren had a chance to react he opened fire on the far lesser protected area around the engine.

A single rocket moved of Shepard's head toward the ship. _That had been Jondum, but one rocket_? Instead of an explosion there were only a few flashes around the ship. _ECM_, Shepard grinned, and opened fire on the Geth that had started to target their big brother. Obviously Tali did her best to cause confusion, as here and there shields went down, Geth reacted confused and one even started to fire on other Geth. Another salvo of the Prime, his shields now wildly flaring under the fire of other Geth, tore into the dropship's flank. Smoke showed on the side, a little fire seconds later. Ignoring that his shields were knocked out and the first bullets tore thru his metallic body, the Prime fired a last long salvo at the drop ship, stopping only as his body simply exploded under the concentrated fire.

But his work was done. Lazily the dropship turned around and tried to get away. But now the MAKO could fire openly and Garrus used the chance. Cannon and rocket thrower trashed the ship until heat forced him to stop and as the ship vanished behind a ridge they had only to wait a few seconds before a loud detonation brought a broad smile on everyone's faces.

"Two down, two outposts to go," Ashley's voice penetrated the comms.

_Normandy CIC – Orbit around Antibaar – Armstrong Cluster_

After Maji and Casbin the other two outposts they had got information about from Admiral Hacket followed in short time. The fight on Rayingri had been easy. There had only been a bunker complex with a few Geth and the corpses of a score husks, obviously a former scientific project. But to destroy the last outpost in Antibaar they had been reinforced thru alliance forces, a platoon of marines with a few MAKOs on board of the light cruiser Odessa under command of Captain Jamieson. Two further dropships, a handful of Colossi and more than forty Geth had been destroyed, but the battle had been tough.

"I hope she'll find something," Garrus stated. Udina only nodded and silently waited as the rest of the group. Despite their success the whole operation left behind a bad feeling. The outposts had been small, even the one on Antibaar nothing that would be enough for greater military actions in this sector. They seemed to be more like scouting parties or at most small way stations for larger groups following them. They had been too small to operate alone. There had to be a central outpost, something to coordinate the others' actions.

The light steps announced Tali's return. The Quarian had committed the last hours to go thru all data they had rescued from the Geth so far in this sector.

Udina sent her a soft smile: "Had you success, Piuthrag?"

That he started to call her 'Piuthrag' now all the time even in front of others had been even so a change as his avoidance to call Ashley 'Ridein' since they had left Binthu. Most of the time he evaded to be alone with Ashley, to speak with her or even to look in her direction. Neither that she had stopped to stare angrily in his direction nor Tali's soothing words had changed this and slowly Shepard wondered how he could alter the situation.

Tali nodded and her voice showed her pride: "I had success. We've saved enough data and so I was able to correlate their instructions and communication protocols. As we thought there is a central fortification to coordinate all the actions of at least these four outposts and further two the alliance didn't know about. That central is located on the small moon Solcrum in the Grissom system."

Shepard enthusiastically slammed his fist on the table: "Good, very good, Tali. I'll inform Captain Jamieson. Relaxation time, all of you, this is an order." He grinned broadly. "We'll have enough to do after reaching Solcrum."

_Normandy Mess – Orbit around Solcrum_

With a broad smile Udina sat down on a seat opposite to Tali. It was the first time since Binthu that he seemed to be relaxed.

"Admiral Hacket will send further technicians to examine the outposts, especially those on Antibaar and Solcrum. And the Odessa got order to leave the Grissom system and look after those other two outposts we learned thru your examination."

With a somewhat theatrical move he pulled a disk from his jacket and slowly pushed it towards Tali. "What's that?" But Udina only shrugged and smiled further, watching her closely as Tali opened the files on the disk with her Omni. "Those … those are …"

She stared at him. "Does Shepard know?"

Udina put his index finger on his lips: "Psst, yes he does, but only unofficially. He wouldn't be allowed to give these data without further examination to someone who neither belongs to the alliance navy nor to the Council. But he shares my opinion that you more than deserved to get all we've found on Solcrum. I hope it will help with your pilgrimage."

"It will, Brathair, it will."

_Normandy Captain's Quarter – On the way to Virmire_

Shepard reviewed the data they had got from Major Kirrahe, leader of the STG team on Virmire. It really seemed to be an important hint, a trace not only about Geth activity but Saren too. Kirrahe hadn't been able to find out what Saren was doing on Virmire, but he had been seen there and the Major told in his report about a larger Geth complex.

The door's chime prevented further thoughts about Virmire. "Come in."

A bit surprised he looked into Ashley's face as the door opened. With forceful steps she crossed the distance and for a moment he hoped that desire was the reason for her demeanor. But it was something completely different that showed on her face: nearly uncontrolled anger.

With a swift motion she threw a notepad on his desk and glared at him: "Is this a bad joke of yours? Or your way to say 'thanks lass, it was a good fuck'?"

Confused he took the notepad and looked at the message on it. Apparently it was from Admiral Hackett's staff. He read aloud: "Hereby is determined that Gunnery Sergeant Ashley Williams in recognition of her outstanding performances while serving on the SSV Normandy is promoted to the rank of second lieutenant." Gently he put the notepad down and smiled at her: "Ashley, this is really wonderful. You more than deserved this and …"

"Shut up, Logan. Why have you done this? I'm not some fucking buddy that you have to support in exchange for some hot nights. I don't need to sleep my way up thru the ranks."

Slowly anger rose in Shepard and barely controlled he answered: "Wait a minute. What do you think? That I …? Not, this is not my doing. I know that Anderson sent some positive reports about you to the Admiralty. But he didn't expect them to do any good. Perhaps he was wrong. But you can be assured that I would never mix our private … meetings … with the job."

"You … you didn't?"

"No, Ashley, I did not. Look, Ashley, we two are marine thru and thru. We know how to handle these … things. We were attracted to each other and had this chance to … relax. We had wonderful nights and I hope for more but it was only physical. I would never let that influence the job. I knew how you would think about that."

"Y … yes," Ashley answered with a pale face, needing some moments to gather her nerves again. "You're right. Physical … I mean private … should never influence the job. Good to see that … that we expect the same in this."

"See," Shepard relaxed visibly. "All well again, Ashley?"

"Yes, all … good." With a short nod she turned around and walked towards the door, shortly looking at Shepard as he spoke after her: "And Ashley: gratulations."

"T … thank you, Logan."


	27. Chapter 27 Decisions

**Decisions**

_Geth Complex – Courtyard – Virmire_

His relaxed composure at a complete difference to the situation around him, Udina leaned against the cold rounded metal behind his back. With slow and a bit unsure moves he reached for a silver case in a side pocket of his pants and opened it, offering the content to the salarian at his side.

"No, thank you," the salarian officer declined, sinking on the floor beside Udina, his right hand pressed on the wound of his leg.

"Your own fault," Udina smiled and took – his fingers a bit trembling from his blood loss – a cigarillo from the case and put it between his teeth. He had to stop for a few seconds, coughing and blood spitting, before he was able to light the cigarillo. Further coughs followed after he inhaled some of the smoke. He grinned thinly: "At least I haven't to worry about lung cancer anymore."

The Salarian grinned back: "It is good to see some good in any situation." He cocked his head and listened to the battle sounds farther away. Several automatic weapons could be heard and the very distinct sound of the heavy shotgun Wrex used. "Do you think they'll escape in time?"

"Certainly," Udina assured him. "Shepard is an ass but good at was he does. And Kirrahe isn't bad either." Weakly he knocked against the metal plate at his back. "And this baby will make sure that our job is done as well."

The Salarian gave him an exhausted nod. "By the way: thank you for not letting me rot in that cell but have a useful death."

Udina grinned: "You're easy to please." He leaned back, totally exhausted, blood tickling from the wounds in his breast that even med gel couldn't completely heal and closed his eyes.

*three minutes until detonation*

.

_Salarian STG operation center – Virmire – 12 hours ago_

"You have to speak with him, Shepard." Udina looked toward Wrex, the Krogan obviously being at the edge of self-control.

Carefully moving thru the river banks to avoid detection they had reached the STG camp only an hour before, only to hear from Major Kirrahe that Saren had been here and following to the scout results left the research facility the day before. Because that it was: a research facility with the destiny to fabricate an army of Krogans. Some of them had been detected as they reinforced the Geth troopers stationed on Virmire to defend the facility.

As could be expected Wrex had been enraged by the prospect of someone creating Krogans only to use them as mind controlled shook troopers but in the same moment was eager to lay his hands on the knowledge behind this. It wasn't a cure to the genophage and more like cloning but perhaps it could help his race.

"I'll speak with him." Shepard agreed and went to the Krogan warrior he saw as a friend after those weeks and months following Saren's traces. He could see that Wrex' eyes were redder than normally and his whole stance showed how agitated he was.

"That isn't right, Shepard," Wrex greeted him. "We can't simply destroy all this. We have to save the knowledge. With that there could be a way …"

"No, Wrex," Shepard's voice was lowly but determined. "Saren doesn't want to help your people and he certainly has no free Krogans in his mind. Don't you remember the other Krogans we fought against that were in his service: mindless brutes, nothing more than rabid killing machine, nearly uncontrollable and without any survival instinct? You don't want any more of those. I understand that you want to help your people and I will try everything to support you, but we can't allow this. It would cause more bad than any good. How would the other races react to thousands of these mindless beasts? Cloning is no response. We have to work at the picture other races have about the Krogans and then we've to really cure the Genophage. Free Krogans born from free Krogan women."

He went at Wrex' side and laid his hand on his shoulder. "Wrex, you told me how difficult life is for the Krogan women, how hurt they are every time they have to look on another dead born child. With you choosing this way, to replace them thru cloned Krogans … that would be dishonorable towards them."

He looked at Wrex and as the Krogan nodded Shepard allowed him a grim smile and gave him a punch against the arm. "Let's go and destroy this hell pit."

.

_Geth Outpost outer rim – Virmire – 6 hours ago_

"Hammer in position," Jondum's voice announced. "The dropship is still on the landing pod. They're recharging, destruction should be easy. But after that we'll only be able to advance slowly. In the canyon behind I see a heavy fortification. Doable but no … biscuit crumbs."

Shepard smiled shortly. "You mean piece of cake. Sword is in position too. The Geth communication station seems to be only slightly defended. After that we'll advance towards the inner rim."

Shortly Shepard mused about the separate groups. Without the quality of their troops he would have chosen another path, but he had to trust that every group would accomplish their target. The enemy forces were way too strong for an open attack.

Jondum, Tali and Ashley had been attached to the main team around Major Kirrahe. He would first destroy the Geth dropship and then advance towards the first of three main flak turrets. In the meantime it would be the duty of his small group consisting of Wrex, Garrus, Kaidan and three salarian agents to destroy several smaller but very important positions and with that take out the Geth's ability to coordinate their actions.

The last and smallest group – Liara, Jenkins and the salarian tech officer Rintola following Udina's lead – would invade the complex that contained the laboratories. Shepard hoped that they would only meet token resistance. Perhaps they were even able to rescue some of the Salarians that Kirrahe had lost in the last days. Nearly a dozen of his men had been captured in an ambush and nobody wanted really to think about what the Geth had in mind for them.

"Ready, steady, go."

.

_Prison block – Geth laboratories – Virmire – 3 hours ago_

"Wait," Liara's voice stopped Rintola but the Salarian was clearly angry about her interruption. The Asari addressed an expectantly looking Udina: "There is something wrong about them. I can't pinpoint it but …"

Udina stepped around the Geth they had destroyed minutes ago and carefully stared at the four Salarians they had found in this part of the prison block, another being one level lower as they could see. "They seem to be confused."

"Naturally they are," Rintola stated angrily. "You would too. We should free them now."

But Udina gripped his arm and hold him back. "No, we can't trust them." He ignored the confused faces of Rintola and Liara and watched the prisoners. By the moment they got more irritated and started to go around in their cells; then they jogged and run at last. One of them started to cry loudly and another – all the way shouting about that he had to go – hurled his body against the prison door. He was knocked back only to charge at full speed headfirst at the door. A loud crack proved that he did more than simply knocking himself out.

A pitiful sigh on his lips Udina turned around and left the room to have a look at the lower cells. "You … you trusted my opinion," Liara lowly said to him. Staring shortly at her with a weird expression, Udina answered: "That I don't trust you or your people don't mean that you're dumb or insensitive."

Leaving her he walked towards one of the cells, the only one with a single prisoner in, this one seeming to be sane. The Salarian rose to his feet and stared silently at Udina. "Name, rank and position, soldier," he ordered the Salarian.

The prisoner blinked shortly as he detected Rintola, snapped to attention and answered short and crisp: "Lieutenant Ganto Imness, leader of reconnaissance platoon bravo."

Udina shortly turned to Liara and after her nod freed the Salarian. "Welcome back, Lieutenant. I'm Spectre Udina and working with Major Kirrahe on the destruction of this facility. We could use your help." He pointed towards the Geth weapons that were strewn on the ground and walked away.

.

_Krogan Laboratories – Virmire – 2 hours ago_

"The first flak turret had been taken out by hammer. Kirrahe and Ashley are now advancing towards the eastern turret. Jondum's and Tali's destiny is the center turret. Sword destroyed the security center and forces its way toward the courtyard under the center flak turret," Udina informed the rest of his small group.

They had found no more uncontrolled Salarians on their way but killed some savage Krogans and two Asari scientists passing thru the labs. Startled from a noise he turned around only to look at a very pale and unarmed Asari. "P … please don't hurt me. I have no weapon."

Ordering the Salarians to take guard he advanced slowly towards the asari, a short look at Liara and her shaking her head answering his silently question if she knew the Asari.

"Who are you and what are you doing here," he demanded to know?

"I'm Rana Thanoptis and a neurospecialist. Spectre Saren has hired me to help in the research her."

Udina narrowed his eyes and asked with barely controlled anger: "And what had been your duty here?"

Rana paled even more: "We were researching a way to control the Krogan's …anger. He said that he wanted to be able to influence their mind and make them more … subdued … integrative." She hesitated for a moment. "But … but after some weeks it became clear that he only wanted to mind control them, to change them into a kind of war machine. And then the Geth arrived. But it was too late to flee. Please, believe me; I didn't want to hurt anyone."

"It is a bit too late to be sorry," Rintola interjected and continued towards Udina: "We should shoot her and go on."

Instead of answering Rintola Udina turned towards Rana: "I hope you have something to offer in exchange for your life, especially as we would have to take you with us because we will blast this facility to hell."

Rana gulped and obviously her mind raced. Then she relaxed a bit and with some hope in her voice asked: "The beacon, I could show you the way to the beacon. It is the reason why this facility had been built at this place long before the Krogan research started. It is a prothean beacon."

.

_Prothean beacon – Geth Facility – Virmire – 1 hour ago_

"Shepard?" Jondum had to repeat the call another two times before Shepard was able to react. His head hurt like hell and a quick look at Liara told him that the Asari didn't feel any better. After Udina informing him about the beacon the two groups had shortly met and under Rana's lead Shepard and Liara had reached the beacon.

Because he didn't want to endanger the rest of his group, Shepard decided that only Liara and he would near the beacon and use it. The pictures flowed thru his mind, showed a distant past were thousands of ships like the Sovereign battled over destroyed worlds. He heard in his mind the cries of millions dying and felt the fire burning those worlds as if they were his own body.

"Shepard, we're near the center turret, but it is heavy defended. We could use a little help here."

"On my way," Shepard responded and waved the others to follow him.

.

_Geth Complex – Courtyard – Virmire – 30 minutes ago_

"You'll go with the shuttle. Rintola and I prepare the bomb; Imness will defend us if needed. End of discussion, corporal," Udina snarled at Jenkins.

The corporal shortly hesitated; then he complied. "I'll go. And commander … thank you for …"

Udina made an uneasy wave: "Yes, ok, now go. I've work to do without your babbling annoying me."

Turning around to the bomb the salarian shuttle had brought to the courtyard, Udina began to help Rintola in preparing the bomb. "We have to assure that the bomb detonates at the right time and that no one is able to disarm it if left alone or to destroy it without detonating."

Rintola nodded. "That's no problem. I only hope that the Normandy will … do you hear that?"

Udina stopped his worked and listened. So far only a few Geth had disturbed them only to be destroyed in short manner by Imness. But now there was an unusual noise. "There …" Imness pointed towards the sky and looking up Udina saw a hover-platform descending with a single Turian on it. The alliance navy so far had decided not to use these platforms because they only had a short use range and offered no protection. The riding Turian obviously didn't think this way. He landed and slowly advanced, a handful of Geth leaving their covers at his side.

"Prepare the bomb," Udina ordered and hurried into cover besides Imness.

"Udina, good to see you again. My Geth were convinced that the Salarians are the real danger. Why are you doing this? You could achieve much more if you decided to help me."

Udina stared at the Turian. After Kirrahe told him about Saren leaving the planet he hadn't expected to see a Turian here and clearly not this one. "Nihlus? Nihlus what has he done with you?"

"Done? He opened my eyes, opened them to the dangers ahead. We have to cooperate to survive. The new masters will spare our lives if we subjugate."

Udina harrumphed several times. "You can't really think so, can't expect that they'll hold their end of the bargain. We have to fight or we all will die."

"No, Udina, you think to petty-minded. There can be no victory, only surviving. Lay down your weapon and came with me."

"Nihlus, don't you see how wrong this is? Can't you feel anymore that he controls your mind? Nihlus, you were one of the good boys. Please, I don't want to kill you. Come to reason, Nihlus."

For a moment it seemed as if he had reached something that was submerged in Nihlus mind but then the Turian snapped back. He raised his weapon and opened fire, killing Rintola within seconds and advancing with the Geth after that. Imness and Udina responded in kind and after seconds two of the Geth were down before the others forced them to switch cover. A low groan proved that not all Geth fire had missed their mark and Udina concentrated his fire on Nihlus, hitting him several times without disabling him.

Then he reacted a moment too late, hesitated a moment too long with his shot. But Nihlus had no such qualms. A burst of his rifle tore thru Udina's breast, one of the bullets piercing his lung. Without the medical emergency system of his suit he would have gone down instantly but so he could fire at the controlled turian Spectre, the heavy shot of his revolver tearing a hole thru helmet and forehead. Quietly Nihlus went down, the first time since his appearance seemingly balanced.

*eight minutes until detonation*

Udina cursed. Obviously Rintola had started the countdown seconds before his death to prevent any disabling. Quickly Imness and he took out the last Geth and slowly crept towards the bomb.

"Sword, here is hammer, we're under heavy fire. The last turret is knocked out but we're unable to get away."

"Sword here, understood Hammer. Shadow, what's the situation?"

_A casket full of shit_, Udina cursed silently, holding his breast and throwing a grim smile at Imness. The Salarian had taken shots at the shoulder and right leg but otherwise seemed to be in better shape than he.

"Bomb cycle activated. Six minutes to go. We had a little visit here: Nihlus, mind controlled. He's dead. We've lost Rintola; Imness and I are wounded."

"Shadow, here's Sword. We're coming. Normandy …"

"Negative," Udina interrupted him, coughing some blood before he was able to continue. He looked at Imness and the officer nodded approvingly.

"Go to Kirrahe and save his men." _And Ashley_, he silently added.

"No, Commander," Ashley tried to interrupt but Udina didn't allow her to continue.

"Shut up, Ash. Commander, even if you would come my way you would be too late. Nihlus aimed a tad too well." Imness stared at him and his wounds. They were heavy but not lethal. The Salarian smiled thinly as he understood the reason behind Udina's argument.

"Enough time lost, 5 minutes to go."

After a moment of hesitation came Shepard's response: "Understood."

With slow and unsecure motions Udina made the last adjustments, only looking shortly at the sky as the Normandy crossed the sky towards the eastern turret.

At last he was content and sank on the floor besides the bomb.

"Time for a cigarillo."

*three minutes until detonation*


	28. Chapter 28 To set a Course

**To set a Course**

_Geth Complex – Virmire_

"Go to Kirrahe and save his men."

After a moment of hesitation came Shepard's response: "Understood."

A low pling announced to Garrus that he got a message. He shortly studied his Omni, examining the words and the attached file while he only half-heartedly followed Shepard's plan how to rescue Kirrahe and his group. _And Ashley_, he stated to himself.

Forcing their way thru the Geths that were blocking the path to the eastern turret, they had to handle Tali who got angrier by the step. At least she was able to work her steam off on the Geth around them, time pressing them to hurry as fast as possible.

*two minutes until detonation*

But all too soon they reached Kirrahe's position. Five of his men were around him, most of them wounded. And there was Ashley, a bit pale from a shot to her side but still with much fight left in her. Overhead the Normandy neared their position, now able to land after the disabling of all flak turrets.

"We can't simply abandon him, Shepard," Tali raged but Shepard shook his head. "It was his decision. He wanted that …"

"I heard what he said," the young Quarian shouted. "But we can't …"

Her shoulders slumped as she saw the determination in Shepard's face. Cautiously the Normandy landed and opened its airlock. While the Salarians started to carry the wounded into the ship, Tali without a word turned around and started to run away.

"Tali stop," Shepard ordered her but she didn't listen.

"Activate prog Tali-1." To hear Udina's voice behind her brought Tali to a stop. Confused she turned around only to see Garrus working with his Omni. "What …" The first thing she noted was that her voice transponder didn't react anymore. Then her whole body suit stiffened and went dead aside from a low hiss followed by the pain of a small needle hitting her. She hadn't the time to curse Garrus or Udina before all went black.

The Turian rushed at her side and picked her up. "Udina sent me an override code for her," he answered Ashley's unspoken question.

*one minute until detonation*

There was no time for conversation between the team members for the next minutes. The last of them entered the ship and seconds later the Normandy took off. Fast the ground disappeared from view and even the explosion was only a short flash in the atmosphere for them.

Ashley sat on a sickbed as Garrus carried Tali into the med center and fastened her to another bed. Uneasy and worried she looked at the Quarian and trying to lift the spirits she asked:

"Did he send an override for my suit too, Garrus?"

The Turian at first only shook his head, watching Tali for some minutes. Only as he left the med center, he shortly looked at Ashley: "Perhaps he didn't expect you to react the way Tali did. It seems he was right."

Gritting her teeth with pain because of her wound, Ashley hurried at Garrus side and gripped his arm: "I didn't ask him to rescue us. I didn't want him to die."

The Turian quietly stared at her, his expression making her squirm. "No you didn't. But you didn't want him to live either. And that doesn't change the fact that he sacrificed himself to rescue you."

Realizing the difference in the wording Ashley pressed the matter: "You mean 'us', Garrus? It was a question of numbers, of how many could be rescued and the severity of his wounds."

With a low snort Garrus responded: "You may think so if that's easing your mind."

_Conference Room – Normandy – On the Way to the Citadel_

"With Dr. T'Soni's help we now know that Saren's destination is the world Ilos. That had been the reason why he tried so hard to find the Mu Portal. It is the only known way to get there."

After leaving Virmire they had come to the conclusion that it would be impossible to reach Ilos alone. They needed help from the Citadel and so they had awaited the answer of the Council for hours. Now the conference had begun and at great length Shepard had tried to explain the situation to the holograms of the Council members.

"We'll speak about this after your return. Until then the fleet reinforcements should have reached the Citadel. It is a great loss that Spectre Nihlus and Spectre Udina had been killed." To Garrus surprise he noted a hint of real sorrow in the voice of Councilor Sparatus. In contrary to the Salarian Valern his turian colleague had never shown any sympathy for Udina. _He had to die before that happened_.

"As it seemed, Nihlus had been indoctrinated. He killed an STG Officer and tried to disable the bomb we used to destroy the base."

"This bomb … we'll have to speak about that. But I understand how you could decide to use it. Spectre Jondum Bau supported that decision. It is too bad that Saren already left the base. We'll expect your return, Spectre Shepard."

For some time Shepard stared at the now empty place where the holograms had been and thought about Jondum Bau. The salarian Spectre had left the Normandy with Major Kirrahe to help to dismantle the STG base. Now it wasn't of any use and nobody should be able to get any information about the STG. The salarian shuttle had been able to get away from the Geth complex in time and Jenkins returned to the Normandy.

"We should speak about the pictures we saw on Virmire, Shepard," Liara said softly and Shepard agreed. "I'll come to your room later."

Liara followed his eyes towards Tali. The Quarian had been sitting at Garrus side in complete silence. Not even Garrus had been able to soothe her mind. After awakening she had been crying and shouting at him and Ashley only to slip into this near-comatose state. Liara had an idea how to help her, to make up for what Udina did for her only days before. She hoped that she would succeed with it.

_Flux – Citadel_

"I still can't believe it that this ass grounded the Normandy," Ashley growled.

After his conversation with the Council, Shepard had gathered his crew in the nightclub to announce the news. That the Council had decided to use the reinforced fleet only in a defensive way and ordered the Normandy to be shut down to prevent Shepard from going to Ilos alone, had been a complete and unpleasant surprise. "The Ambassador only followed the Council's order. They want to avoid a war that could be the consequence of a Citadel fleet entering the Terminus. And with his pet nephew dead Ambassador Udina was really pissed."

"He was not the Ambassador's pet but our friend." Liara responded with gritted teeth. Garrus smiled weakly at her surprising defense of the man that hadn't been very nice to her most of the time and nodded. Quietly he asked: "Where is Tali now?"

"I brought her to Nelyna, the first acolyte of Sha'ira. In contrary to Shepard's opinion her abilities encompass much more than some massage technics." Glaring shortly at Shepard she added: "She was very willing to help Tali. But I think she should stay behind if we leave for Ilos."

Shepard narrowed his eyes and blandly asked: "Why do you think that we'll leave for Ilos?"

Responding in kind Liara answered: "To quote a friend: 'Shepard is an ass but he's good in what he does.' I hope you don't expect us to believe that you'll simply stay on the Citadel and wait what will happen."

"Touché, you're right Liara. Anderson spoke with me, he wants to help us. And this is the plan …"

_Embassy – Bureau of Udina – Citadel_

Weird relaxed Anderson sat in the Ambassador's seat. In a few minutes he would be arrested and waiting for military trial, but it had been worth it. With a broad smile he looked down on the swollen face of the Ambassador and massaged his hurting hand. He had been waiting for this moment for months.

Ignoring the noises at the door were the guards tried to open the door, Anderson watched the monitor, the picture of the Normandy nearing the mass portal.

"I wish you luck, Shepard. I wish luck to us all," he whispered.


	29. Chapter 29 It was his Choice

**It was his choice**

_Geth Complex – Courtyard – Virmire_

*three minutes until detonation*

Lieutenant Ganto Imness stopped to care about the wound in his leg. He would not die of it in the next time and within three minutes all worries would end anyhow.

"You know, I really expected to die in that prison cell, to die with my crazy former comrades wailing all the time. And then you entered and gave me back my dignity. It is a good feeling to die like this knowing that we'll blow all Geth and Krogans around us to hell."

With a smile he looked at Udina. The Spectre leaned against the bomb, his eyes were closed and the hand with the cigarillo down on the ground. He seemed to sleep.

"Udina?" Ganto crawled nearer to have a better look at him. Obviously he had lost his consciousness. _With those holes in his breast this is lucky for him_, the Salarian mused. As he leaned back again his eyes went over Udina's shoulder. Something metallic blinked there and caught Ganto's interest. Narrowing his eyes he tried to focus on the item that could cause this reflection. Something told him this to be important.

And then it hit him. _That's … that's_ … he started to stand up, resting his weight on his assault rifle.

*two minutes until detonation*

Frantically he limped towards the metallic shine. Twenty yards … ten … five … there it was. He bowed forward only to lose his balance and crashed onto the ground beside the metallic disc. The hover-platform that Nihlus had used to arrive at the courtyard seemed still to be operable.

*ninety seconds until detonation*

His fingers hurried over the controls, working on connecting it to his Omni. _Damned, some type of security_. Ganto looked around. There Nihlus was lying, a big hole in his head. Ignoring the pain in his leg he hurried at his side and fetched the remote control that was attached to his girdle.

*sixty seconds until detonation*

Cursing as he had trouble to give the correct motion sequences Ganto succeeded at last and the platform rose into the air. Leaning onto the disc he directed it towards Udina. Nearly his leg gave away as he stood up. After injecting another dose of painkiller he grabbed Udina's body.

*forty seconds until detonation*

_Stupid heavy damned human_, Ganto cursed and pulled with all might. Slowly the body reached a halfway secure position and Ganto clambered onto the disc besides him.

*twenty seconds until detonation*

Holding Udina's body with his healthy leg and to the disc with his left hand he used the right to order the disc forward as fast as possible. He would have only this one chance. If he lost control of disc or body …

*fifteen seconds until detonation*

Reaching the edge of the courtyard Ganto suddenly saw the water he had hoped for below them, the water of the Virmire Sea. The disc went down all too fast, not meant to carry two persons. Trying to steady his nerves the Salarian waited long seconds as they neared the water surface, powering up the disc's platform in the last instant.

*ten seconds until detonation*

The disc bucked and touched the water with one edge before Ganto was able to get back the control. With full speed they shot forward to gain as much distance between them and the incoming explosion.

*five seconds until detonation*

They wouldn't be far enough away, Ganto knew. They had only one chance. He could only hope that Udina's suit had closed the holes enough.

*detonation*

Ganto instinctively closed his eyes as a brilliant flash lightened the sky.

_Twenty-one … twenty-two … twenty- _

As he sensed the explosion wave nearing, Ganto gripped Udina and turned around; throwing both of them from the disc that shortly jumped and then relieved of its load flew away.

The water below, the wave behind, Ganto had no time for a quick prayer before they hit the sea's surface.

.

_Salarian STG operation center – Virmire_

The mood in the STG camp was a mix of relief and sorrow: Relief that they had succeeded in destroying the facility. As it seemed not many Geth had been able to flee and the laboratory had been totally destroyed. But they felt sorrow too because so many of their comrades had died.

Content with the progress of the workings around him Major Kirrahe entered the former communication barrack only to see the operator leaning towards his radio.

"What are you doing? Why isn't the communicator dismantled?"

"I started to do that, Sir, but …" The operator stared at his superior; then he turned back to the comm and pressed some buttons. Instantly noises filled the tent.

"Do you hear this, Major?" He watched Major Kirrahe listening to the sounds. Muffled and slow there could be heard a kind of beat. A single tune every time, always the same, with a two second break between them. "What could that be? It is not a real signal with a meaning, isn't it?"

Kirrahe shook his head. "This muffling … can you extract that."

The operator mused: "It sounds as if it would be below water." Twisting some regulators he was able to enhance the sounds. No it was recognizable. "That is a heartbeat, Major."

"Try to give me direction. I'll use the shuttle …" The Salarian hurried outside and called for the workings around the shuttle to stop. Seconds later it took off and went towards the sea. He had an idea about the origin, but he tried hard to quell any hopes until he saw the reason of the noises.

.

_Quarters of the Consort's Acolytes – Citadel_

Silently the Asari entered the guest room she had given to Tali two days before. Since Liara had left the Quarian in her custody Nelyna had tried to soothe her mind and bring her back to life. The monitor in front of Tali was still showing a picture of the Normandy. The spaceship had left the Citadel three hours before and Tali had received a message from Liara and Garrus, equally explaining the reason of their departure and their wish that she would fare well.

"He's still with you, Tali. In a way at least," Nelyna said soothingly to the young woman. _She is so young_, Nelyna thought. _Have I been the same in her age?_

"But I'll never see him again," her voice was barely a whisper. "I'll never again hear his voice, feel his touch if we dance." She looked up at Nelyna, tears in her eyes that the Asari didn't need to see to know of their existence. "My Brathair is away."

Nelyna took a seat beside the Quarian woman and gently laid a hand on her chest below her breast. "He is still there and always will. As long as we remember him he'll live in a way. All these moments you shared with your brother, the good and the bad ones, will be testimony of his life."

The asari acolyte drew Tali into her embrace and continued quietly: "Back on Virmire he made a decision. He sacrificed his life to save others and not anyone but a woman he loved, irrespective of how she felt about him. She has to be something very special if he acted this way. You should honor that decision."

Putting her hand below Tali's chin she lifter her head and looked into the silvery shimmering eyes: "He knew that you would live. He even gave your friend Garrus the tool to prevent you from doing … something awful in that emotional moment. Clearly he wanted you to live and to return to your people. These knowledge you spoke about, this disk from the Geth he gave you to fulfill your pilgrimage … certainly he wanted you to use that, to help your people to achieve a better future. Don't deny him this wish; don't throw away this life but embrace it. Try to make this world a better one and help others as he did. Remember how he was able to help Liara in a way that neither Shiala nor I were able to. Yes, he did it because you asked him to, but without … without this inner wish to help and without this ability to care about others, he hadn't succeeded in the task.

This life is legacy to you. Use it carefully, wisely and passionately."


	30. Chapter 30 Race to the Conduit

**Race to the Conduit**

_Normandy – nearing Ilos_

For more than half an hour Ashley had been sitting in the canteen and looking doubtful towards the door of Shepard's room. They would reach the Ilos system in four hours and she knew exactly where she would like to spend this time … and with whom. But would that be the correct choice? Logan Shepard had already declared how he felt about their relationship: friends with benefits. If she trusted his words he saw a friend and comrade-in-arms in her, an attractive woman he liked to spend the night with but without deeper feeling.

She couldn't feel the same. That last conversation showed her that she wanted more, a deeper partnership with real feelings and a bit romance. But could she achieve that with Shepard? Could she trust his words? _I've cornered him with my question about my promotion. He had no other choice than to deny his involvement_.

She knew the ways of the alliance navy enough to know that a simple positive report of Captain Anderson wouldn't be enough to end her string of bad family luck, to suppress the handicap she got simply thru being her grandfather's granddaughter_. He must have pulled some real weight to get this done. Perhaps he had spoken with Admiral Hacket_.

But he couldn't really admit that he'd done this, irrespective of the reasons for his doing. And then there was the fact that Shepard was her superior. A friendship with benefits could perhaps be overlooked if not accepted, but a solid relationship was something completely different. He would have to send her away to serve on another ship.

Ashley sighed_. I should accept his 'friendship' and wait what happens. Perhaps later_ …

She stood up and went to Shepard's room.

.

"Stealth system is activated, no visible reaction to our arrival. I see a great number of Geth ships in the orbit of Ilos," Joker announced.

After a look on his sensors Navigator Pressly added: "I pick up some strange readings from the surface. "There seems to be ruins of an old city but with much vegetation over it and many buildings destroyed. The next sure landing zone is two clicks away."

"That's too far away," Shepard declined the proposal. "What's with that clearing?"

"That's far too small; you would crash into the surrounding buildings."

"I can manage that," Joker said with a tad too much confidence in his voice for Shepard's liking; but the Commander ignored Pressly's frown: "Try it, Joker."

.

_Geth landing zone – Ilos_

"Sorry, Shepard, I can't manage this security system. We could really use Tali here … or Udina." Garrus had tried without success to open the lock of the heavy door for some minutes, they had found closed behind Saren after their hazardous landing. Likewise the weapons of the MAKO were not strong enough to blow the security door away.

"Good, Kaidan you'll stay here with Liara and Ashley. Wrex, Garrus and I look for another entrance. Don't get lost, Kaidan."

"I would try that building over there. I get some energy signals and Geth activity."

Following Garrus' suggestion the small group had no reason to moan about boredom as they tried to enter the building. The energy of the nearest entrance was shut down and as they neared the back entrance every step was accompanied by attacks of smaller Geth groups and even two armatures. More than once Shepard cursed that he had to leave Tali at the Citadel. Not that Garrus was an inept technician but Tali was a caliber of her own. Even Udina hadn't been on par with her on many subjects.

Udina, shortly Shepard thought about him. He had never liked him, never trusted him really. But now to his own surprise he missed him, at least a bit.

"A large chamber, four control systems each with an armature locked to it. I try to crack one of them."

The seconds stretched to eternities as they waited for Garrus to succeed, all the time hoping that the Geth visible at the rear of the chamber weren't able to detect them too early. Suddenly one of the armatures turned around and opened fire on one of its brethren at point-black range. Within seconds it was destroyed and the armature turned to its next target, only to be attacked in response by the other two armatures.

Shepard and Wrex stormed into the chamber, adding their weapon power to the armature controlled by Garrus_. I hope it is not too late_.

.

_Prothean Complex – Ilos_

Strained Shepard watched the trench in front of them. After the destruction of the four armatures it had been easy to reach the control room and open the security doors. Behind that they found a large and confusing complex. At the walls cylinders were visible, hundreds if not thousands of them. Ignoring the babble of Liara and Kaidan about the meaning of the facility he concentrated on the way in front of him.

At least Saren and his escort had marked their way thru the trench system very clearly. And the few guard points hadn't been a real menace for them. Would there be a more precarious ambush later or was the time simply to pressing for Saren to fool away his time with Shepard's group?

"What's that," Garrus asked, pointing towards the energy barrier that suddenly had been erected in front of them. For a moment Shepard expected to see another barrier behind but nothing this way happened. Instead the door of an elevator opened to the right side.

"That's a bit too kind of an invitation, isn't it?" Ashley growled. Shepard nodded but he had to admit that there was nearly no other choice than to accept the invitation. "We can't go around the obstacle. Perhaps we find another way. Liara and Garrus with me, we'll look for our obscure host."

The trio entered the elevator and slowly it departed into the ground. "I see no signs of use. The Geth obviously haven't detected the elevator. And from the creaking I would assume it hadn't been used for a long time. I only hope it is secure."

Liara babbled on and Shepard endured her silently. Sometimes he wished the Liara back as she had been before, silent and depressed. Yes, he knew that this feeling was unfair but sometimes …

The door opened onto another chamber. The single feature of it was something looking similar to something between a prothean beacon and a computer console.

"You are neither Geth nor indoctrinated." The booming voice stopped them in their tracks. "Perhaps there is some hope. I am Vigil, guardian of the hopes of the last prothean scientists."

.

"We should have stayed longer," Liara complained. She leaned at the side of the elevator cabin and stared reproachfully towards Shepard.

The Commander sighed deeply, forcing his voice to remain calm. "We hadn't the time, Liara. We have to follow Saren. You heard what Vigil said. We only have a chance because the Protheans deactivated the keeper's orders to follow the reapers' commands. But even so Saren has only to reach the central console on the citadel. Against the Sovereign and the Geth fleet even the collected defense fleet has no hope to win without the Citadel's systems. We have to be really fast."

As soon as they reached the MAKO – the energy barrier now away as hoped – Shepard stepped on the gas. Every small ambush now drew on his nerves; every Geth delaying him for a few seconds angered him more. Faster, faster, the MAKO drifted thru the curves, following Shepard's commands as if the vehicle was able to feel his urging need to outrun Saren.

"There's the conduit," Ashley cried with joy.

"Yes, but I've signals of four colossi waiting besides it," Garrus dampened her mood.

"The conduit is open. We have to go thru it really fast before he closes the door behind him. Garrus, go on, we'll ignore the colossi."

"I really hope you know what you're doing."

On Shepard's sign Garrus accelerated as fast as he trusted his abilities to handle the vehicle without overthrowing. As expected the first pair, ten all four colossi opened fire. Luckily most of the shots missed the MAKO, the rest not breaking thru the vehicle's shields for some time.

The MAKO shuddered as one of the wheels was destroyed by a shot, but Garrus was still able to control the cruise. The conduit was so near. Another shuddered, the armor on the left nearly giving away. Hastily Garrus executed some swerves. A last time he hit the gas pedal, and then there was the conduit and blackness.


	31. Chapter 31 Hopes

**Hopes**

_Tali_

It was with a very troubled mind that Nelyna entered Tali's room. She had news for the young Quarian, perhaps wonderful news. But still there was the chance that all went bad after a few days. Would Tali be able to cope with that? Was it the right way to spur hope in her heart if there was the chance that utter pain followed days later? She hoped that it was the right decision. She really hoped so.

.

Her face veiled behind her shimmering visor Tali followed the asari acolyte. She had come to trust Nelyna even if she had known her only for a few days now. There was something about that woman – she knew that Asari were technically spoken not women but her appearance stated it – that made her comfortable in her vicinity. Tali was unsure about the reason of this feeling. Was it something about her acolyte training or simply her character? _Perhaps both_, Tali mused.

Quietly she had been following Nelyna thru the Citadel, wondering what their destination could be. Nelyna had only asked her to accompany her on a visit. Now they entered the elevator to the Council's presidium. Whom could Nelyna know up there?

.

The salarian officer that had been in conversation with Jondum Bau had just left the office. Now Tali, sitting besides Nelyna, had the opportunity to silently watch the salarian Spectre as he shuffled thru some notepads. _Why are we here? How did Nelyna come to know this Spectre?_ She knew that Udina had taken a liking to the Salarian but aside from that she really didn't know much about him. _He trusted Jondum Bau, so he can't be bad_.

"Miss Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," his sudden words startled her and even more the tune of his voice. _He seems to be unsecure_.

"I've spoken with Miss Nelyna this morning about you and your condition." Tali blushed a bit. _What had Nelyna said to the Spectre? Had she told about her depression_? But then the Quarian squared her shoulder. The Spectre had been attending on Virmire, he had seen her reaction. He would know.

"After consultation with Councilor Valern," he continued, leaving Tali pondering about what a Councilor had to do with her person, "I decided to agree with Miss Nelyna and wanted to give you some information. It is classified information and I have to demand that you inform me if you wish to share it with anyone, at least for the next I would say three months. May I continue?"

Tali felt a lump building up in her stomach and weakly nodded. "Good. Before I go on I have to state that this is …" _He stutters_, Tali wondered. Jondum Bau sighed, forcing his mind to ease and slowly ordering his thoughts again.

"Miss Tali, I have some good news for you but I … there is a chance that … you see, I know how close you were with Udina … your … err … your brother."

_That can't be, ancestors, that can't be._

"Back on Virmire you heard his order to leave him and Ganto Imness, the salarian Lieutenant at his side, and rescue Major Kirrahe's team. And I think we both know the reason why he did so."

_He knows about Ash_, Tali thought and slightly nodded.

"And that he noticed to send Garrus that program to override your suit," Tali winced as she remembered that moment, "shows clearly how he thinks about you and your welfare. But in some way he lied to Shepard. His wounds taken from Nihlus, while life-endangering, were not lethal."

Tali paled. Her face invisible Nelyna could tell that from the swaying of the Quarian's body.

"He lost consciousness shortly after the messages. But Lieutenant Imness was able to tear him onto the hover-platform of Nihlus and reach the open sea. To evade the bomb's explosion wave he had to drop Udina into the sea. After the Normandy left Major Kirrahe and I went to the STG camp to dismantle it and our communication technician got a signal. Kirrahe was able to rescue Udina and Imness from the sea."

Jondum Bau went on, explaining the dire condition of Udina, the injuries thru Nihlus weapon, the damage the sea water did and the side effects of the suit's tries to rescue its inhabitant. But all that Tali was unable to comprehend. Only one sentence was in her mind: _he lives, Rory lives._

.

Staring thru the window Nelyna sat on the bank besides Tali, hugging the Quarian that was still trying to cope with the news. Jondum Bau had allowed them to use this room until they were able to go back to the Consort rooms.

"Please don't … you know, Tali, he said that there is still the possibility …"

Tali nodded. "I understand, Nelyna, I really understand. And I know that I won't see him for months. But … there is hope now. Hope I haven't had an hour ago."

Nelyna hugged her, sensing the tears on Tali's face. "Are you able to come with me, Tali, back to your room?"

Tali nodded and stood up, only to stare at her Omni that came to live with a beep, a special tune she knew all too well. But how in the ancestor's name could it be, that she heard this tune now, on the Citadel?

Questioning Nelyna watched as Tali got more agitated by the second as she went thru the information she got from her tool. Suddenly she looked up and hurried onto the corridor, passed the wondering guards and went to Jondum's bureau. Not waiting for the soldier besides the door to announce her or listening to his words as he declared who was with Jondum now, she entered his room. Before the Councilor's bodyguard could draw his weapon, Jondum stopped him with a wave of his hand.

"Jondum … Councilor … I have …" Tali pointed towards her Omni, her hands in wild agitation. "Geth, there are Geth in the Citadel."

.

_Shepard_

Garrus stared at the MAKO, a hint of sorrow in his eyes. He had driven this vehicle over the ground of so many planets, experienced so many battles with it. There was not a single part of it that he didn't know, that he hadn't exchanged sometimes in all those months. But this time had ended now. The MAKO, lying on its side with the rests of a handful crushed Geth visible at its edges, was clearly beyond any repair.

"Saren is up there," Shepard snarled. "We have to go after him. We'll use the elevator. Garrus, be ready to stop it if he tries something. Go."

Shepard and his five companions entered the elevator. The change seemed weird. The last time they had been here they had been wearing their best uniforms and no weapons, intend on meeting the Council and explain why they had to hurry to Ilos. The Council hadn't listened and now they had to pay the price.

_Perhaps they are dead already_, Shepard mused. _It would only be fair in a way_. But he wasn't here to save the Council. He had only to reach the central control and use that disk he had got from Vigil. He had to take control and help the fleet that was trying to defend the Citadel in this moment, fighting a losing battle without the Citadel's help.

As expected the elevator stopped halfway up and they had to exit. Closing their helmets and trusting the magnets in their soles, they started to use the outside of the Council's tower to walk towards their destination. Every step was hindered by another Geth. _Some Geth dropships had been able to enter before the Citadel's arms had closed,_ Shepard decided. So many Geth can't have entered the Citadel with Saren thru the conduit.

Not that the Geth would have been his only concern. He had only to look up at the tip of the tower needle and the picture of the Sovereign clamping to the tower gave him shudders.

Out of instinct he went to the ground with the others as a large beam tore thru the metal plates behind him. He instantly knew that a single hit of this weapon would kill him irrespective of the quality of his enhanced shields he'd got after Tali had used Udina's plans on the groups body suits.

"They have activated some of the towers defense turrets," Garrus growled. His statement was confirmed by some further shots of at least three turret guns. A look around made Shepard sigh. Geth Prime and a large number of lesser brethren could be seen. At least there were no further Krogans, the last of that mindless variety that was following Saren's orders they had killed minutes before. But these turrets did an awful good job in pinning his group down. Without sacrificing one or two of his companions he wouldn't be able to break free.

"Shepard, over there," Garrus outburst snapped Shepard's attention back to his surroundings. Astonished he saw another turret activating, but this one turned around and destroyed another turret before it switched target and started to tear down a large group of Geth that had been gathering for a counter attack towards Shepard.

"Seems we got some help," Shepard grinned. As the other two turrets turned around against their new enemy, Shepard ordered the attack.

.

_Saren_

Not for the first time Liara stared at Tali. She still couldn't believe the change in the Quarian's composure. There was some of that old energy back she had so missed in the young woman after Virmire. That it had been Tali of all things who rescued them thru overriding the defense turret's security protocols. And Nelyna was secure. She had liked the acolyte and according to Tali she had gone with the Council.

Liara shortly smiled as she thought about the news they'd got from Jondum Bau. After Tali's warning the Spectre had been able to secure position long enough to rescue the Council from the Geth assassins Saren had sent forward while he was going for the central control. _The Council owning their life to a Quarian_, Liara thought with not an insignificant amount of amusement.

"Saren," Shepard's voice alerted Liara to the sight in front of them. There, near the central control they had been looking for, was Saren with a small contingent of Geth around him. He seemed to expect them, enjoying in his own confused way that all this would end now.

"Shepard …"


	32. Chapter 32 Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_Observation Platform – Citadel_

Her eyes didn't really see the happenings around her. Too intense were Tali's memories of the last days to push them away. Saren, he had been a strong opponent. Even after his Geth bodyguard had been torn to pieces he battled on. And the Quarian had only to close her eyes to see that moment again as Saren rose from the death, to feel the terror as she realized that they had to battle him anew, this time in the form of a kind of … she didn't know what it had been, this metal body that had freed itself from Saren's chest as if it would climb out of some fleshly outfit.

But they had been victorious. Saren was really dead now, Ashley shredding him to little pieces as she emptied a full magazine into his lifeless corpse.

But neither Saren's death nor the fact that Shepard had been able to open the citadel's arms had been enough to end the battle. Around the Citadel the fleets of Geth and Council still fought against each other with the Destiny Ascension, the Council Fleet's flagship seriously damaged. As Joker arrived with the Arcturus Fleet a choice had to be made, a choice whether to lead the Fleet against the Sovereign or to risk many lives in the attempt to save the Destiny Ascension and with her the Council.

Kaidan and Ashley had been against the saving attempt, were not willing to risk thousands of human lives to rescue that single ship and three politicians. Liara and Garrus on the other hand remembered Shepard how important these Councilors were as leading figures for the Citadel Space and what it would mean for the cooperation of the human alliance with the other races if the rescued these politicians.

To Tali's relief Shepard had followed the opinion of Liara and Garrus, had advised Admiral Hackett to save the Destiny Ascension before he led his forces against the Sovereign. With her not only the council had been saved but Nelyna too. The asari acolyte had been heartbroken after her return. Most of the other acolytes had died as they defended Consort Sha'ira against the Geth that seemingly had tried to capture her. And her sister had been killed too. Sweet Saphyria, secretary of the Embassy quarter, always friendly, always helpful. She had died with many other employees of the embassy quarter and many politicians that had been working there.

But Ambassador Udina survived. As the fights died down he instantly had tried to step forward 'in the name of humanity' and declare how helpful the humans had been and that they deserved to be part of the Council now. Irrespective of his demeanor he had been successful. The Councilors acknowledged the important role of the humans in the defense of the Citadel and rescue of the Council and agreed to offer them a seat among them. But it had been a Pyrrhus Victory and that fact forced a very broad smile on Tali's face. She wasn't sure about the reason of the Council's decision. Had it been Udina's former behavior or the influence of his nephew? Tali assumed the latter because the salarian Councilor had been especially outspoken. Whatever the reason had been: the new Councilor hadn't been Udina but Anderson.

And now overall on the citadel the repairs were underway. The most damaged parts had been the presidium and the market district. For many it had been a surprise to detect that of all people it had been Dr. Michel and Helena Blake that organized the defense of the market. Many lives had been saved thru the actions of these two ladies and they were seen as kind of heroes now.

Startled Tali turned around as someone harrumphed behind her. Garrus shot her a smile and took a seat beside her. For some minutes they silently sat side by side and watched the ships coming and going to the Citadel.

"You really don't want to come with us? Aside from Shepard, Kaidan and Ashley I'll be on board for a while and even Liara will accompany us for the first part. Only Wrex had left for Tuchanka."

Tali shook her said and answered quietly. "I have … something to do, something important. And after that I'll return to my people. Thanks to Rory my pilgrimage has ended successfully and I hope …"

Garrus gently gripped her hand and pressed it slightly. "I miss him too. He would be proud if he could see you now. Not only have you succeeded in your pilgrimage but you also return as a hero of the Citadel."

Tali blushed. "I'm not a hero."

"Don't be so shy. To be given the second highest medal of the Citadel for personally saving the council from Geth assassins, to be the first Quarian that got this honor for more than three centuries … I really would call this worth of a hero. And without your help we would have died too on our way to the center control. You will always be my little hero, Tali."

Tali was very glad to wear her visor as she blushed in that moment like never before, unable to draw away her hand from Garrus' grip or to look at him. After a while she trusted her voice enough to ask: "What will you do? After this mission to Ilos I mean."

Garrus sighed. "I don't know. Really, I don't know. The Council had denied agreeing with Shepard and Liara about the danger we're still in, the danger of a reaper invasion. The official statement will be that Saren found that ship and somehow convinced the Geth to support him. With his death and the Sovereign's destruction the danger has ended – at least following the Council's opinion. We hope to find more information on Ilos with Vigil's help. If we don't succeed in that …"

"You could go back to C-Sec, Garrus."

"I could. Many members of C-Sec have died, many position are vacant. Certainly I could make a kind of career now. But I don't know if I could go back, back into this bureaucracy after the last months on the Normandy." He sighed. "But … I don't have to decide this now. First things first …"

.

_Prothean Complex – Ilos_

Slowly they advanced thru the ruins, avoided to step on parts of the ground that looked unstable. More than once they had to climb stones that had formerly been part of the ceiling. And with each step their mood got darker. Had it been their presence in this part of the complex? Or had the Geth been able locate Vigil as he activated himself?

Whatever the reason had been: obviously the Geth had found this place. And they had taken steps to prevent anyone from getting more information. At last Vigil was lying in front of them, his metal shell torn apart thru energy weapons, his innards molten away, useless.

Remembering the first time they stood at this place and the lack of opportunity at that moment to ask him more about the past – an opportunity they would have never again – Shepard ordered them to return to the Normandy.

.

_STG Medical Center – Sur'Kesh_

Silently, unwilling to disturb the work of the scientists in the room, Spectre Jondum Bau entered the room and stepped to Ganto Imness' side. The STG officer shortly nodded towards the Spectre and waited with him. From time to time he slightly shifted his stance, always trying to disburden his right leg. After some minutes the Salarian turned around and those attendants with deeper knowledge about him were able to detect small signs of content in the face of Mordin Solus.

"He will live."

.

_Udina Estate - __Dùn Èideann/Edinburgh – Earth_

A last time Anne-Mary Udina opened the short message she had received some days before. The message from that visitor that was entering her estate in this moment and that had caused her nights to be sleepless since then. Her small frame trembled slightly. She was unsure if she could do this, speak with her visitor. But her son deserved it, deserved it that she gathered her courage and at least spoke about him and his last moments.

A small knock against the door and her secretary entered, stepped aside and announced: "Milady, your visitor: Ms**. **Tali'Zorah nar Rayya …"


	33. Chapter 33 Summary

**Summary of Two Coins**

_This summary is meant to help if you want to read the later parts of this story. It only lists that information which is special, for example decisions that have to be made in the adventure or things that normally wouldn't happen (especially about the surviving of some npcs)._

**The next part of this series will be "We are family".**

1. Spectres:

In the story 'Two Coins' there are 2 Spectres.

Logan Shepard is a N7 marine and soldier born into a family of navy members. Bodily he is a 'perfect' soldier; large, broad-shouldered, strong muscled. He is an able tactician and leader with the charisma to impress his team. Generally good-natured he has a slight human-centric world view and a slight sexist opinion about female soldiers.

Rory Udina is the nephew of Ambassador Udina. Born into a rich and influential family he had been a kind of 'bad boy' in his youth. That changed after he accidentally caused the death of his well-beloved sister Cathleen. After two suicide attempts his Uncle forced him to enter the alliance Special Forces were he made career as a communication specialist (and biotic). As he has much less experience with 'normal military' he often submits to Shepard's leadership. He has a very strong disgust towards Asari but otherwise doesn't follow his Uncle's opinion about other races.

Both Spectres left the Alliance Navy at the end of ME1.

.

2. Companions

All companions (Ashley, Kaidan, Liara, Tali, Garrus and Wrex) survived ME1.

Ashley is in a 'friendship with benefits' with Shepard. While her emotions are stronger, he doesn't respond these. Unknown to her Rory Udina loves her.

Garrus is a trusted friend of Udina while Wrex is close with Shepard.

Tali is seen by Udina as a replacement to his deceased sister and Tali sees him as a brother too.

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3. Playthru

Shepard and Udina went to Eden Prime with Spectre Nihlus. Jenkins survived the mission and Nihlus was abducted, not killed, by Saren. Dr. Warren – who knew Udina from Mars – accompanied the Normandy for a while and started the contact with Liara.

With the help of Wrex and Garrus they were able to rescue Tali. Able to convince the council about Saren's darker side they got the status of 'Spectre on Probation' and decided to look for Liara, hoping that she'll be able to interpret the information Udina got from the prothean beacon on Eden Prime.

The cabin of Tali had been modified to allow her to switch suits and be without her suit for a while. The sibling behavior between her and Udina started after this.

They rescued Liara on Therum. She realized that the second voice on Tali's Omni file (apart from Saren) was Shiala (not Benezia), a longtime acolyte of her mother.

Looking for Shiala they set course to Feros. There they destroyed the Thorian and rescued Shiala and the colonizers. She told them about Benezia's wish to rescue Saren's soul and the danger of indoctrination. Shiala melded with Liara and gave her the cipher, with Liara later parted with Shepard and Udina.

On demand of Admiral Hackett Udina – together with Ashley and Kaidan – solved the problem of the VI on Luna (the later EDI on Normandy 2).

In the meantime Shepard led the Normandy with the rest of his crew to Noveria. There Shepard convinced Lorik Qui'in to cooperate with Gianna Parasini to convict Administrator Anoleis. They reached the laboratories, were Benezia was able to defeat the group. In the last moment her attachment to her daughter was able to break the indoctrination for a short time. She gave information about Saren's search for the Mu Portal to Liara and bade her to kill her. Tali restrained Liara from doing that while Garrus killed Benezia to prevent Liara from being forced to kill her own mother. Following Wrex' wish they let the Rachni Queen survive.

Back on the Citadel Shepard solved Consort Sha'ira's problems with Ambassador Xeltan and the turian General Septimus.

Garrus bade Udina to help him. They wanted to prevent Rita's death, the Chora Den waitress being employed by C-Sec to spy on a weapon trader. In this side mission Udina got to know the salarian Spectre Jondum Bau and learned about the information – concerning day to day activity of Spectres and the normal procedure of leaving other organizations as the alliance navy – he and Shepard should have got but that had been held back by Ambassador Udina. From now on Udina worked closely together with Jondum Bau, the Salarian taking that mentor position that had been meant to be filled by Nihlus. With the help of Helena Blake they are able to shatter the weapon smuggler syndicate. By the way they capture the armored freighter Ithaca that from now on belonged to Jondum Bau.

After the information they got from Jondum Bau Shepard and Udina decide to leave the alliance navy after solving the problem of Saren.

Rear Admiral Kahoku informed them about a missed operative named Banes. They followed the lead to the planet Binthu were they found Banes' corpse and destroyed a biomedical research facility of Cerberus. On the way to Binthu, following Tali's wish, Udina succeeded in lifting Liara's mood. She had been very depressed about her mother's death. This action started an improvement in the relation of Udina and Liara.

In part as thanks for this Tali invited Udina in her cabin. They spent a wonderful evening but – testing with a kiss – decided that they really only have (deeply) sibling emotions towards each other.

In the Armstrong cluster they destroyed some Geth outposts and Tali got a disk from Udina, information about Geth for her pilgrimage.

On the way to Virmire Ashley received the information that she had been promoted to Lieutenant. She was convinced that Shepard had been responsible for that but he denied. Ashley didn't believe this or his declaration that he only wanted a 'friendship with benefits'.

On Virmire they found – with help of Rana Thanoptis – another prothean beacon. Liara and Shepard used that beacon and got information about Saren's search for Ilos. Shepard convinced Wrex to cooperate. They destroyed the labs; Udina freed the salarian STG officer Ganto Imness. Udina, who is responsible for the bomb that was meant to destroy the whole complex, got into a fight with the indoctrinated Nihlus. Imness and Udina were wounded, Udina seriously, but they were able to kill Nihlus. Because of the bomb timer Shepard had to decide whom he wanted to rescue. Udina exaggerated his wounds and convinced him to rescue Kirrahe and his team because of the accompanying Ashley.

The team returned to the citadel, convinced that Udina was dead. Jondum Bau and Kirrahe were left behind to dismantle the STG camp. They detected a signal and found Imness and Udina. The Salarian used Nihlus hover-platform to bring Udina into the sea near the Geth complex.

The depressed Tali left the Normandy and took a room with consort acolyte Nelyna. She stayed there as the Normandy with the help of Anderson left the Citadel towards Ilos.

Shepard's group fought their way thru the old prothean complex and learned from Vigil about the portal Saren wanted to use. They follow him to the Citadel.

In the meantime Tali had a conversation with Jondum Bau and knew that Udina survived. As the Geth attacked she helped in the evacuation of the Council and supported Shepard on his way to the central control where he killed Saren.

Shepard chose to rescue the Destiny Ascension and the council.

Anderson was made the new human Councilor.

The Normandy made a second trip to Ilos only to find Vigil destroyed by Geth. For a time Ashley, Kaidan and Garrus will stay on board.

Tali left the group and made a trip to Earth, where she met Udina's mother.

In the meantime Udina had been brought to the salarian home world Sur'Kesh where Mordin Solus was able to rescue him thru a string of operations.


End file.
